Trump Hints at Even Higher Tariffs on Mexico and Canada in the Future

President Donald Trump hinted that tariffs on Mexico and Canada could potentially rise in the future, during an exclusive interview aired Sunday on Fox News’ "Sunday Morning Futures."

Speaking with Maria Bartiromo, Trump addressed concerns from business leaders who are seeking more predictability in trade policies. "I think [the business community could see clarity on tariffs]," he said before adding, "But the tariffs could go up as time goes by, and they may go up…"

The president remained steadfast in his stance against what he described as years of economic exploitation by other nations. "For years, globalists have been ripping off the United States. They've been taking money away from the United States, and all we're doing is getting some of it back," Trump declared, with his characteristic bravado. He added, "This country has been ripped off from every nation in the world, every company in the world. We've been ripped off at levels never seen before, and what we're going to do is get it back."

Trump's tariff policies have already targeted Mexico and Canada, as well as other major players like China. The measures are partly aimed at addressing border control issues, which he claims have allowed fentanyl to flow into the U.S. and cause devastating consequences for American citizens.

Interestingly, while Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on numerous imports, he has temporarily exempted most goods from Canada and Mexico under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). However, he announced that these exemptions would expire next month. Explaining the rationale, Trump mentioned, "We're a big, big country, and they do a lot of their business with us, whereas in our case it's much less significant. We do very little with Canada by comparison, and I wanted to help the American carmakers until April 2nd."

His comments reflect a complex balancing act—one where he seems to juggle between being tough on trade partners and offering a temporary reprieve to foster goodwill. But let’s face it: diplomacy with tariffs is a bit like offering someone a helping hand while holding a hammer in the other.