In a sharp escalation of trade tensions, US President Donald Trump has announced a steep increase in tariffs on Canadian imports, raising them from 25% to 35%, effective immediately. The decision, revealed by the White House late Thursday, cites Canada's alleged failure to take stronger action against drug trafficking and organized crime as the primary reason behind the move.

According to the statement, Canada has not done enough to “arrest traffickers, seize contraband, and stop the flow of illicit drugs” into the United States. Trump had previously warned that if a deal was not reached by Friday, harsher tariffs would be imposed—marking yet another deadline in his aggressive trade renegotiation campaign with several countries.

While new import duties for other nations are scheduled to kick in on August 7, Canada’s tariff increase takes effect immediately. The sudden move is likely to inflame diplomatic tensions between the two neighboring allies and trading partners. As of now, the Canadian government has not issued an official response to the tariff hike, but the measure is expected to trigger economic and political pushback.

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