Prospective Tariffs On Goods From Mexico, Canada, And China

Since well before the November 6 election, President-elect Trump and his team have been discussing the imposition of tariffs on certain trade partners. The scope of possibilities ranges from all imports being subject to a 10% to 20% additional tariff, to the imposition of a 60% tariff on imports from China, to tariffs on vehicles from Mexico reaching as high as 100% to 200%.

In understanding what is practical, it helps to understand the triggers behind the threats for sanctions and the multiple sources of legal authority that could support the imposition of tariffs. As with past practice, President-elect Trump often uses the threat of tariffs as a means through which to negotiate a resolution to a problem. It would seem, from recent events, that the threat to impose tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China is first and foremost a tool to negotiate a resolution to issues other than the trade balance. Both Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo and Canadian Prime