After taking shot at Trudeau, Trump pauses tariffs on some Canadian goods. Mexico gets reprieve, too

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U.S. President Donald Trump took another shot at Justin Trudeau Thursday then hit the pause button on some tariffs he earlier imposed on Canadian goods.

Trump rattled the prime minister’s cage with a post on Truth Social, saying Trudeau was doing a “terrible job” and accused him, — again — of using the growing trade war with the United States as an excuse to extend his time in office.

“Believe it or not, despite the terrible job he’s done for Canada, I think that Justin Trudeau is using the Tariff problem, which he has largely caused, in order to run again for Prime Minister,” Trump said. “So much fun to watch!”

Hours later, Trump signed an executive order that pauses tariffs on some Canadian imports linked to the automotive industry that comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement for one month. He also lowered tariffs on potash to 10%.

The executive order was read out in the Oval Office in Washington. It says the pause is linked to the auto industry that supplies parts to American car makers and goods that help farmers, although it wasn’t made clear.

In response to Trump’s pause, Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc suspended a second wave of Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on $125 billion worth of U.S. products until April 2.

Earlier, Mexico was given a one-month reprieve on most tariffs.

Trump announced via his Truth Social account that he has postponed the 25% tariffs applied to most goods imported from Mexico for a month. It’s the second time the hefty tariffs on Mexican goods covered under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade have been paused.

The U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, told CNBC that he expects tariffs on both Canada and Mexico to “likely” be delayed.

Trump said via social media that he elected to delay the tariffs on Mexico until April 2.

“After speaking with President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico, I have agreed that Mexico will not be required to pay tariffs on anything that falls under the USMCA Agreement,” Trump said on Truth Social. “I did this as an accommodation, and out of respect for, President Sheinbaum. Our relationship has been a good one, and we are working hard, together, on the border, both in terms of stopping illegal aliens from entering the United States and, likewise, stopping Fentanyl.”

Trump imposed the 25% tariffs on virtually all goods from Canada and Mexico on Tuesday, with a 10% levy on energy from Canada. Then, on Wednesday, he backed off slightly and gave a one-month exemption to vehicles made by the Big Three automakers.

The speculation that Trump will delay the tariffs against Canadian goods did little to temper Trudeau’s beliefs that he expects Canada and the U.S. to be in a trade war for the foreseeable future. But he also said it was a “promising sign.”

A month-long pause “aligns with some of the conversations that we have been having with administration officials.”