Trump Pauses Tariffs Against Canada Amid Negotiations

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Trump Pauses Tariffs Against Canada Amid Negotiations
Photo: PBS NewsHour
politics· A press review of 12 outlets
  1. On social media, Trump wrote: “I have paused the 50% Tariffs against Canada, that were scheduled to kick in tomorrow morning for a three day period, based on the fact that Canada and the U.S.A., subject to the finalization of documents, have a DEAL!”

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    BBC News

    "I have paused the 50% Tariffs against Canada, that were scheduled to kick in tomorrow morning for a three day period, based on the fact that Canada and the U.S.A., subject to the finalization of documents, have a DEAL!" Trump said in a social media post.

    NPR News

    "I have paused the 50% Tariffs against Canada, that were scheduled to kick in tomorrow morning for a three day period, based on the fact that Canada and the U.S.A., subject to the finalization of documents, have a DEAL!" Trump posted on Truth Social.

    The Guardian US

    Good morning. Donald Trump has paused his threatened punitive tariff on Canada just hours before it was due to come into effect. After Trump’s announcement, the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, said “substantial progress” had been made towards a trade deal, but more work was needed.

    PBS NewsHour

    Trump says U.S. and Canada reached last-minute deal to delay 50% US tariffs on Canadian imports The announcement, which Trump made on his social media platform, buys time for more negotiations and avoids, for now, another strain in already tense relations between the historic allies.

    HuffPost

    “I have paused the 50% Tariffs against Canada, that were scheduled to kick in tomorrow morning for a three day period, based on the fact that Canada and the U.S.A., subject to the finalization of documents, have a DEAL!” Trump posted on Truth Social less than two hours before the 12:01 a.m. Wednesday deadline.

    Vox

    What happened? Trump had previously threatened 50-percent tariffs on about $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, but delayed them late on Tuesday, hours before they were set to take effect.

    New York Times

    Trump and Canada’s Carney Seem to Make Progress on a Tariff Deal, but Questions Linger After a deadline extension, the latest U.S. tariff threats seemed headed toward resolution on Wednesday, but questions lingered about what Canada would give up, and what it would get in exchange.

    The Hill

    Trump says US-Canada trade deal ‘subject to the finalization of documents’ President Trump on Wednesday touted a last-minute breakthrough in trade talks with Canada before new 50 percent tariffs were set to take effect this week, claiming there are “no longer any tariffs” for U.S. exports but noting the deal hasn’t been inked. “So subject to the finalization of documents, we have a deal with Canada,…

    Associated Press

    Trump claimed that Canada discriminates against American exports of autos, alcohol and cheese. The U.S. president is also furious that Canada and China were the only countries that punched back with retaliatory tariffs of their own when he slapped levies on their products.

    ABC News

    The new levies were set to go into effect early Wednesday. President Donald Trump said he is pausing for three days the new 50% tariffs on Canadian goods set to go into effect early Wednesday, citing a deal between the U.S. and Canada. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

  2. In February 2025, the White House hit Canada with a 25% tariff, citing what it regarded as inadequate progress in curbing cross-border illegal immigration and drug trafficking. In retaliation, Canada announced a reciprocal levy, calling the US’s actions “unwarranted and unreasonable”.

  3. In an upset for the Democratic establishment, the progressive Angie Nixon won the party’s US Senate primary in Florida, beating the former army intelligence officer Alexander Vindman. Nixon, a state representative and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, had significantly less funding going into the primary. Vindman served on the national security council in Trump’s first term and became a well-known whistleblower and witness in the president’s first impeachment.

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    NPR News

    🎧 Progressive state Rep. Angie Nixon defeated Alex Vindman in a Florida Democratic U.S. Senate primary, despite being dramatically outraised and not having a national profile, NPR's Ashley Lopez tellsUp First . Nixon's track record of fighting high-profile labor and voting rights issues as an activist helped propel her to victory. But she now faces significant challenges in the solidly red state, and national Democrats are not optimistic about the odds of flipping Florida. Lopez says the key question for Nixon is how she will appeal to a broader statewide electorate.

  4. In the same social media post, Trump said the controversial Keystone XL pipeline project “may be awoken from the grave” without giving further details or suggesting whether it was linked to the tariffs deal.

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    NBC News

    Trump did not provide further details, except to reference the Keystone XL pipeline, which he said “may be awoken from the grave!”

    BBC News

    "The great Keystone XL Pipeline, long ago killed by Sleepy Joe Biden, may be awoken from the grave!" Trump wrote on Truth Social.

    Associated Press

    Trump raised the prospect of reviving Keystone XL In the Truth Social post announcing the three-day tariff pause, Trump declared that the long-canceled Keystone XL pipeline “may be awoken from the grave.” He posted an illustration of himself wrangling with a pipeline. He did not say whether reviving Keystone XL was part of the agreement.

  5. Keystone XL was designed to carry up to 830,000 barrels of crude a day from Canada’s oil sands to Nebraska and onward to U.S. Gulf Coast refineries. The project became a major political and environmental fight: President Barack Obama rejected it in 2015, Trump revived it in his first term and President Joe Biden canceled its permit in 2021. The Canadian company behind it later abandoned the project.

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    The Guardian US

    Keystone XL, which was proposed in 2008 to bring oil from Canada’s western tar sands to US refiners, was halted in 2021 by owner TC Energy after Joe Biden revoked a key permit needed for a US stretch of the 1,200-mile (1,930km) project. It became a flashpoint in US-Canada relations, amid opposition from US landowners, Native American tribes and environmentalists.

  6. If they had gone into effect as scheduled at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Trump's import taxes would have hit Canadian products ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors.

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    HuffPost

    If they had gone into effect as scheduled at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Trump’s import taxes would have hit Canadian products ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors.

    NBC News

    The 50% duties would have impacted about $20 billion worth of U.S. imports from Canada, according to the U.S. Trade Representative’s office. The import taxes would have hit products ranging from hockey sticks, to some building materials, liquors and certain kinds of clothing.

  7. On Tuesday, the US Chamber of Commerce pushed for a deal to be reached, saying in a statement that "higher tariffs would damage both economies, drive up costs for US families, further disrupt critical supply chains, and risk the 13 million American jobs that depend on trade under the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement".

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    NBC News

    The U.S. Chamber of Commerce warned in a Tuesday statement that in the event of no deal, “the introduction of higher tariffs would damage both economies, drive up costs for U.S. families, further disrupt critical supply chains, and risk the 13 million American jobs that depend on” the North American trade pact.

  8. Section 338 tariffs have never been used before. Section 338 authorizes the president to impose tariffs of up to 50% on imports from countries that have discriminated against U.S. businesses. No investigation is required to justify the levies. Nor is there any limit on how long the tariffs can stay in place.

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    HuffPost

    Section 338 tariffs have never been used before. Section 338 authorizes the president to impose tariffs of up to 50% on imports from countries that have discriminated against U.S. businesses. No investigation is required to justify the levies. Nor is there any limit on how long the tariffs can stay in place.

    NBC News

    The tariffs that were set to be imposed would have been the first-ever use of Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930. The law allows the White House to implement duties of up to 50% on any foreign trading partner that “discriminates” against U.S. commerce.

  9. Both countries had reason to step back from the brink. Nearly 72% of Canada’s goods exports last year went to the United States. And the Trump administration would be taking a risk by imposing a hefty new tariff — paid by U.S. importers who try to pass along the cost to consumers via higher prices — ahead of November’s midterm elections. U.S. voters are already frustrated with the high cost of living.

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    NPR News

    Both countries had reason to step back from the brink. Nearly 72% of Canada's goods exports last year went to the United States. And the Trump administration would be taking a risk by imposing a hefty new tariff — paid by U.S. importers who try to pass along the cost to consumers via higher prices — ahead of November's midterm elections. U.S. voters are already frustrated with the high cost of living.

    Associated Press

    Both countries had incentives to head off an escalation in trade tensions. Nearly 72% of Canada’s goods exports last year went to the United States. And the Trump administration might be wary of imposing a hefty new tariff — paid by U.S. importers who try to pass along the cost to consumers via higher prices — ahead of November’s midterm elections. American voters are already frustrated with the high cost of living. Gillies reported from Toronto.

  10. Trump has made tariffs the centerpiece of his second-term economic agenda. Last year, he imposed double-digit import taxes on almost every country, justifying them by declaring the longstanding U.S. trade deficit a national emergency. The Supreme Court in February ruled that he'd overstepped his authority, striking down those tariffs and setting the stage for the federal government to pay refunds to importers.

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    HuffPost

    Trump has made tariffs the centerpiece of his second-term economic agenda. Last year, he imposed double-digit import taxes on almost every country, justifying them by declaring the longstanding U.S. trade deficit a national emergency. The Supreme Court in February ruled that he’d overstepped his authority, striking down those tariffs and setting the stage for the federal government to pay refunds to importers.

    Vox

    Can Trump still impose new tariffs? He can. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s use of a specific law, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, to impose tariffs. In doing so, the Court ended many of his most sweeping tariffs and took away his favorite way to impose them.

  11. So Trump has looked for other legal authority to impose tariffs. To hit Canada, he reached back to the Great Depression, invoking Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to threaten 50% tariffs on products that account for about 5% of Canadian exports to the United States.

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    HuffPost

    So Trump has looked for other legal authority to impose tariffs. To hit Canada, he reached back to the Great Depression, invoking Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to threaten 50% tariffs on products that account for about 5% of Canadian exports to the United States.

    Associated Press

    Here’s what to know: Trump’s tariff threat would hit 5% of Canadian exports Last month, Trump invoked a never-before-used legal authority, dating back to the Great Depression, to announce that the United States would slap 50% tariffs on $20 billion, or about 5%, of Canadian exports to the United States, ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors.

    Vox

    He has plenty of other tools to keep at it, though, albeit on a more limited basis. Trump was threatening to use a never-tested section of the 1930 Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act to impose his most recent Canada tariffs. (Other existing Canadian tariffs fall under yet another law.)

  12. The U.S. is renegotiating a North American trade pact — the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement — that Trump strong-armed America's neighbors into accepting in his first term. The threat of Section 338 tariffs gives the United States leverage to seek fresh concessions from Ottawa.

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    HuffPost

    The U.S. is renegotiating a North American trade pact — the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement — that Trump strong-armed America’s neighbors into accepting in his first term. The threat of Section 338 tariffs gives the United States leverage to seek fresh concessions from Ottawa. Gillies reported from Toronto.

    Associated Press

    An agreement could clear the way for a broader trade deal The U.S. is renegotiating a North American trade pact — the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement — that Trump strong-armed America’s neighbors into accepting in his first term. The U.S. has begun formal USMCA negotiations with Mexico but not with Canada.

    Vox

    What’s the big picture? This trade fight could preview an even bigger one to come, as the US, Mexico, and Canada attempt to renegotiate the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement that Trump struck in his first term. Trump declined to renew the deal last month, kicking off new negotiations.

  13. Trump said the proposed deal will be welcome by US farmers and manufacturers, while Carney said it will secure "the best terms" for Canada's strategic sectors and provide certainty on the future of US-Canada trade.

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    Associated Press

    Speaking to reporters at the White House Wednesday, Trump said that talks with Canada yielded a “very fair deal for both” sides. “Our farmers are going to be thrilled, our manufacturers are going to be thrilled,” Trump said in an impromptu gaggle during a tour of South Lawn construction.

  14. The United States and Canada have sparred for decades over trade, poking each other over sore spots like Canadian softwood lumber imports and U.S. access to Canada’s protected dairy market.

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    BBC News

    The two sides have been at an impasse on several issues, including US tariffs on autos and many Canadian provinces banning American liquor sales.

  15. Trump said Canada has agreed to eliminate tariffs on US farmers, though he did not specify which specific agricultural sectors would benefit.

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    Associated Press

    Canada’s dairy market has been a persistent irritant While details of the agreement emerging Wednesday remain vague, Trump claimed that Canada had agreed to end tariffs on U.S. agricultural products. “The tariffs will be non-existent for our farmers. Our farmers were paying tremendous tariffs into Canada, and those tariffs are going to be totally eviscerated. Down to zero,” he said.

  16. Trade negotiators met on Wednesday for the third time in as many days on Wednesday and after Trump paused a new wave of tariffs he had threatened to impose overnight on a range of Canadian goods.

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    Reuters

    US, Canada trade negotiators meet after Trump sets new tariff deadline - Reuters US, Canada trade negotiators meet after Trump sets new tariff deadline  Reuters

From the margins

7 details only one outlet reported

Independent claims that didn't surface elsewhere in our corpus. Treat as supplementary — not corroborated across outlets.

  1. 01 The Guardian US

    How much trade do the two countries do? Historically, Canada and the US have been strong trading partners. In 2024, trade between the countries was estimated to be roughly $909bn, according to the office of the US trade representative.

  2. 02 NBC News

    Now Playing Trump says he had 'a good conversation' with Canadian prime minister about tariffs 01:29 UP NEXT Trump Pauses 50% Tariffs on Canada Minutes Before His Deadline 01:22 Key Primary Results: Florida, California, Wyoming, Alaska 02:39 GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan, Democrat Mary Peltola advance to Alaska Senate race 03:17 Jolly thanks supporters after projected win in Florida Democratic gubernatorial primary 01:48 Nixon to voters: ‘We deserve to thrive’ 01:37 Rep. Donalds celebrates projected win in Florida GOP governor primary 01:21 Angie Nixon projected winner in Florida Democratic Senate primary 03:33 Rep.

  3. 03 NPR News

    Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.

  4. 04 HuffPost

    But the political impact would likely have been bigger than the economic one. Canada had threatened to retaliate against any new tariffs with levies of its own, aggravating a trade fight between countries that sold each other $880 billion worth of goods and services last year.

  5. 05 Associated Press

    Trump also noted that the agreement is all subject to the “finalization of documents.” For now, the tariffs have been postponed until 12:01 a.m. Saturday.

  6. 06 Vox

    On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the US could reduce previous tariffs on Canadian goods —which applied to cars, steel, and aluminum — as part of a potential trade deal. Trump has also suggested that a deal could resurrect the Keystone XL oil pipeline.

  7. 07 BBC News

    But details on what the agreement covers, and what concessions both sides have made, and what still need to be ironed out, remain unclear.

Assembled from 16 corroborated claims drawn from 12 independent outlets. Every passage above is taken verbatim — Dorothy doesn't paraphrase or summarize.

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Coverage by Perspective

Left
2
Lean-Left
7
Center
8
Lean-Right
1

Source Similarity

Connections show how similarly each outlet covered this story. Thicker lines = more similar framing.

Sources (12)

  • huffpost
  • pbs
  • abc
  • nyt
  • ap
  • npr
  • thehill
  • nbc
  • guardian
  • bbc
  • vox
  • reuters

Original Articles (18)

Lean Left First Thing: Trump in Canada tariff backdown after ‘substantial progress’ made on trade deal — The Guardian US
Lean Left Trump hits pause on Canada tariffs threat, and hints at revival of Keystone XL oil pipeline project — The Guardian US
Lean Right Trump says US-Canada trade deal ‘subject to the finalization of documents’ — The Hill
Lean Left Trump and Canada’s Carney Seem to Make Progress on a Tariff Deal, but Questions Linger — New York Times
Lean Left Trump announces temporary pause on new Canada tariffs — ABC News
Lean Left Trump says he had 'a good conversation' with Canadian prime minister about tariffs — NBC News
Lean Left Trump Pauses 50% Tariffs on Canada Minutes Before His Deadline — NBC News
Lean Left Trump pauses 50% tariffs on Canada for 3 days — NBC News
Center U.S. delays 50% tariff on Canadian imports. And, takeaways from Florida's primaries — NPR News
Center Trump says U.S. and Canada reached deal to delay 50% U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports — NPR News
Center News Wrap: Trump pauses his 50% tariffs on Canadian imports — PBS NewsHour
Center Trump says U.S. and Canada reached last-minute deal to delay 50% US tariffs on Canadian imports — PBS NewsHour
Center Trump says US and Canada have a trade deal, but key terms remain unclear - apnews.com — Associated Press
Center US, Canada trade negotiators meet after Trump sets new tariff deadline - Reuters — Reuters
Left No new Canada tariffs — for now — Vox
Center Canada and US say they are finalising a trade deal, but details remain murky — BBC News
Center Trump pauses new tariffs on Canada and says countries close to a deal — BBC News
Left Trump Says U.S. And Canada Have Reached Last-Minute Deal To Delay 50% U.S. Tariffs On Canadian Imports — HuffPost