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White House Lifts 50% Tariffs On Some Canadian Goods, Exemptions Start October 30
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Donald Trump signed an order removing 50% tariffs on select Canadian agricultural and forestry goods. Exemptions target relief for U.S. farmers and Collins’s Maine re-election bid.
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Tariffs Lifted for Maine
The White House said the US is lifting some of its 50% tariffs on Canadian goods, with the exemptions set to start 30 October. The White House statement said the US would remove certain products from the list of Canadian goods it taxes, including plywood sheets, some paper products, certain machinery and refrigeration equipment, and certain packing crates and boxes. The White House added those items would be replaced with certain valves, carpets, waste products, among others, as it said the move aimed to "further refine the scope of the tariffs" applied to Canada.
Senator Susan Collins said she had "secured additional tariff exemptions products crucial to Maine’s agricultural industries, including blueberry, potato, apple, and seaweed producers," and she said many farmers rely on specialized equipment and packaging materials from Canada. President Donald Trump said Canada is "working very hard" on a trade deal with the US, while Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said, "We could sign it this afternoon if the US were there."
Midterms and Political Fight
The Trump administration said it granted tariff exemptions on some Canadian imports, an implicit acknowledgement that President Donald Trump’s signature trade policy could be hurting Republican candidates running in the Nov. 3 midterm election.
Republican Sen. Susan Collins announced the news on social media, saying, "I am pleased to have secured additional tariff exemptions products crucial to Maine’s agricultural industries, including blueberry, potato, apple, and seaweed producers."
Democrat Troy Jackson responded by saying, "Trump’s trade wars have made life harder and more expensive for Mainers," and he added that Susan Collins enabled the chaos.
The White House announcement made no mention of Collins, and it did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Commerce Department and Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.
The BBC said the exemptions could also boost Republican candidates in the midterms elections on 3 November, as many US voters list affordability and economic pressures as top issues.
Trade War Stakes
Reuters said President Donald Trump signed an order to remove 50% tariffs on some Canadian agricultural and forestry products, which could boost US agriculture firms dependent on those goods.
Reuters said Trump was exempting plywood sheets, some paper products, certain machinery and refrigeration equipment, and packing crates and boxes, while the administration was adding certain valves, carpets, waste products, and other items to the list.
The Washington Post said the rollback targeted tariffs that disproportionately hurt residents in Maine and similar states, and it credited Susan Collins with the announcement.
The Guardian said the exemptions applied to nine agricultural products, including blueberries, potatoes, apples and seaweed, and it quoted Collins saying many of the state’s farmers rely on specialized equipment and materials from across the border.
The New York Times said the loss of Collins’s seat could tip the Senate in favor of Democrats, upending Mr. Trump’s legislative agenda for the rest of his term.