A timeline of Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada

Donald Trump was elected to a second term as U.S. President in 2024 and it’s been a roller-coaster ever since for Canadian leaders and businesses. He has threatened, enacted, modified and delayed multiple rounds of tariffs, only to announce additional protectionist trade policies are to come. 

Here’s a timeline of the key dates in Trump’s tariff journey. 

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2024:

November

Trump pledges to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian and Mexican imports when he takes office, saying it will remain until both countries stop drugs, particularly fentanyl, and people from illegally crossing American borders. 

2025:

Feb. 1 — Trump signs an order imposing blanket tariffs of 25 per cent on virtually all goods entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico, and a reduced 10 per cent tariff on energy. These tariffs are variously known as the IEEPA tariffs, or fentanyl tariffs, named for the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that Trump invoked and his justification for using them.

Then-prime minister Justin Trudeau outlines Canada’s planned retaliation strategy, including immediate counter-tariffs. Canadian provinces start pulling American alcohol from liquor-store shelves at provincially owned distributors. 

Feb. 10 — Trump signs a plan to institute a new set of 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum entering the U.S. These sector-specific tariffs are separate from the previous set, and based on a different rationale.

March 4 — Trump’s tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods go ahead after a month-long pause, despite hopes that border security measures Canada took could stave them off. In response, Trudeau announces broad retaliatory tariffs on U.S. food, alcohol, furniture, paper and more.

March 6 — Trump pauses some new duties on Canada and Mexico and reduces potash levies to 10 per cent. The White House says the duties would not apply to goods compliant under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, better known as CUSMA.

March 12 — The 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum take effect. Canada hits the U.S. with a second tranche of retaliation, enacting 25 per cent tariffs on $29.8 billion in U.S. goods, targeting steel and aluminum as well as other products including computers, sports equipment and cast iron goods. 

March 14 — Mark Carney succeeds Trudeau as Canada’s prime minister.

March 26 — Trump announces 25 per cent sector-specific tariffs on automobile imports. The White House says automobiles imported under CUSMA will only be taxed on the value of content not made in the United States. Vehicle parts that fall under the trade deal also escape duties. 

April 2 — Calling it “Liberation Day,” Trump unveils 10 per cent tariffs on imports from all countries and higher rates on dozens of nations that have trade surpluses with the U.S. None of the new measures affect Canada or Mexico.

April 3 — Trump’s 25 per cent auto tariffs take effect, prompting Prime Minister Mark Carney to say Canada will hit back with matching levies. Carney says Canada’s counter-tariffs will hit all vehicles that do not comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, along with any non-Canadian content in compliant vehicles. Ottawa later says automakers that continue to manufacture vehicles in Canada will see some exemptions from retaliatory tariffs. 

May 6 — Trump and Carney strike a mostly genial tone in a face-to-face meeting in the Oval Office, but Trump gives no indication he plans to drop tariffs in the near future. 

May 28 — The U.S. Court of International Trade strikes down Trump’s broad-based tariffs, saying he doesn’t have the authority to impose tariffs on nearly every country using the International Economic Emergency Powers Act. The decision blocks both the “Liberation Day” duties as well as the fentanyl tariffs on Canada. A day later, a federal appeals court issues an emergency stay on the tariffs. 

June 4 — Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada come into effect. Carney calls the tariffs “unlawful and unjustified,” and two weeks later announces pending retaliatory tariffs, depending on how trade talks go. The response is panned by industry.

June 27 — Trump announces he’s halting all trade talks because of Canada’s impending digital services tax. Two days later, the government announces it is rescinding the tax and will resume negotiations. 

July 31 — Trump signs an executive order pushing tariffs on Canada to 35 per cent from 25 per cent, following through on a threat to raise duties if Ottawa didn’t make a trade deal. The White House confirms the tariffs would not hit goods compliant with CUSMA.

Aug. 1 — Higher duties on Canadian goods take effect. Trump’s new 50 per cent tariffs on copper imports also kick in. 

Aug. 8 — The U.S. Department of Commerce more than doubles countervailing duties on Canadian softwood lumber imports to 14.63 per cent. 

Aug. 22 — Canada announces it will drop some retaliatory tariffs on American products to match U.S. tariff exemptions for goods covered under CUSMA, effective Sept. 1. The change comes after Carney said he received assurances from Trump on a call that the move would help kick-start trade negotiations with the U.S.

Aug. 29 — Low-value imports coming into the U.S., including from Canada, lose their duty-free status with the end of the “de minimis” rule.

Sept. 25 — Trump announces a raft of new tariffs on pharmaceutical drugs, kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, upholstered furniture and heavy trucks, starting on Oct. 1.

Sept. 30 — Trump issues an additional 10 per cent tariff on softwood timber and lumber imports. The B.C. Lumber Trade Council says softwood lumber entering the U.S. will now see total import taxes exceeding 45 per cent.

Oct. 7 — Carney meets with Trump at the White House. Trump lavishes praise on Carney and says the prime minister would leave the meetings “very happy,” but Carney leaves without a deal in hand.

Oct. 24 — Trump says he is ending trade talks with Canada because of an Ontario government television advertisement pushing back on his tariffs. Ontario Premier Doug Ford later says he will stop running the ad after that weekend.

2026:

Feb. 20 — The U.S. Supreme Court concludes it was not legal for Trump to use the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, better known as IEEPA, for his “Liberation Day” tariffs and fentanyl-related duties on Canada, Mexico and China.

July 1 — On the final day for all three signatories of the CUSMA trade pact to extend the agreement for 16 years, United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer says the country would not renew the agreement “in its current form.” It remains in place for now.

July 20 — In a series of executive orders, Trump announces new 50 per cent tariff on a range of specific Canadian goods, ranging from honey to hockey sticks, to take effect in 30 days. Unlike with the fentanyl tariffs, this new round has no exception for CUSMA-compliant goods.

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc repeatedly travels to Washington, where he meets with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.

Aug. 18 — Trump says he will put a three-day pause on those 50 per cent tariffs that would have hit an array of Canadian goods. The pause, until just after midnight Saturday, is to allow time to put an agreed upon deal into writing.

Aug. 19 — In a statement, Carney says the new deal reinforces and builds on Canada’s existing trade advantages with the U.S. He also asks provinces to put American alcohol back on the shelves. Trump repeats claims that the agreement would drop tariffs on American farmers to zero and says it is a “good deal for everybody.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 20, 2026. 

— With files from The Associated Press

By Canadian Press Staff | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.