By Jack LaMadeleine
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January 27, 2025
On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term, and with that came big promises regarding trade policy. But a significant shift came just days later, on January 21, when Trump announced plans to impose 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada—set to go into effect on February 1, 2025. This move represents a dramatic change in North American trade relations and could have wide-reaching effects on American consumers. At a signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump revealed that his administration would roll out tariffs on goods from two of the U.S.'s largest trading partners, Mexico and Canada. However, this new tariff decision doesn’t fully align with the aggressive trade strategy Trump promised during his campaign. The sweeping tariffs Trump pledged on his first day in office, including a 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada, have yet to materialize. His executive action, while still outlining a broad trade policy overhaul, serves more as a placeholder for a more extensive, long-term plan.