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US Slaps Import Ban on Canadian Alcohol and Other Goods
Confirmed
In Short: The US has imposed a ban on a range of Canadian imports, including alcohol and dairy products, as retaliatory measures against Canadian tariffs on American goods.
The US has imposed a ban on a range of Canadian imports, including alcohol and dairy products, as retaliatory measures against Canadian tariffs on American goods, according to reports from multiple outlets. The ban, which will begin on September 29, targets various alcoholic drinks and dairy products like whey, according to a series of White House statements signed by President Trump.
In a series of executive orders on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump wrote that 'Canada is discriminating in fact against the commerce of the United States,' and ordered the import ban. Both US and Canadian officials have said they would like to strike a deal, but no new talks have been scheduled since negotiations collapsed in late August.
The ban on the importation of Canadian alcohol in particular closely mirrors bans that provinces across Canada put in place in early 2025 on American alcohol. Bans on Canadian motorcycles, whey, molasses, and nonalcoholic beer are set to take effect on the same day, according to a set of proclamations signed by President Trump.
The US has accused Canada of unfair trade practices, but Canadian officials have accused the U.S. of similar actions. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his administration have vowed to match the U.S.'s tariffs 'dollar for dollar,' and many Canadian provinces have maintained boycotts of American alcohol that began last month.
Despite the deepening economic fallout between the two close trading partners and allies, the White House insists that conversations with Canadian trade leadership are ongoing and there remains hope for an off-ramp. However, Mr. Trump is not backing down from a 50% tariff on all Canadian automotive imports, trucks, auto parts, and steel, effective January 1, 2027, if a deal is not reached, according to administration officials.
The ban on Canadian products, including alcohol, dairy, and motor vehicles, is expected to lead to higher prices for goods and a decrease in the number of customers, according to reports. The US has also threatened to ban Canadian-made products from federal government contracts unless the Canadian government opens up to U.S. imports.
What's confirmed
- The US is banning Canadian products, including alcohol, dairy, and motor vehicles, as Canadian retaliatory tariffs on American goods come into force.
- In a series of executive orders on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump wrote that "Canada is discriminating in fact against the commerce of the United States," and ordered the import ban, which will begin 29 September.
- Both US and Canadian officials have said they would like to strike a deal, but no new talks have been scheduled since negotiations collapsed in late August.
- In August, Trump ordered Lake Ontario to be renamed as Lake America, resulting in uproar from Canadians and some Americans.
- Last month, the White House had imposed 50% tariffs on around $20bn (£14.8bn) of Canadian goods after several rounds of talks had broken down.
- Canada responded with dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs on US goods like steel, clothing and furniture.
- The import ban announced by Trump in response targets various alcoholic drinks and dairy products like whey, according to a series of White House statements signed by the president on Tuesday.
- Canada is "discriminating" against US businesses by restricting the distribution of US goods while not doing the same to such products from other countries, the White House said.
What's still developing
- "It is very good for Canadian Politicians like Prime Minister Carney to make President Donald J. Trump "the enemy," until their Economy collapses, then it will prove to be very bad for Politics — Worse than anything that has ever happened to a Canadian Politician," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
- Cheryl Cassoni reports on President Trump's threat to halt Canadian airplane maker Bombardier's sales to the US.
- The affected goods account for about 6% of the $333.6 billion in exports the U.S.
- ET tariffs kicked in, Trump intensified his attacks on Truth Social, threatening a complete ban on aircraft sales from Canadian manufacturer Bombardier, vowing fairness to Americans and continuing his narratives against the world using the U.S.
- The sides have historically been close allies, with each a key business partner to the other.
- On the other hand, Canada is the US' second-largest trading partner, after Mexico, although its exports are far more diversified.