White House Confirms Tariffs Coming on Saturday: 5 Takeaways From Press Conference

Trump to impose tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, effective Feb. 1.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a press conference at the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on Jan. 31, 2025. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Friday provided updates on President Donald Trump’s plans to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico as well as issues related to the U.S. economy and illegal immigration.

Tariffs Coming Saturday

The press secretary said the president will implement a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods, effective Saturday, Feb. 1. It’s not clear whether there will be any exemptions.

Trump has warned Canada and Mexico about the tariffs because of what he said was their failure to prevent illegal immigration and drug trafficking into the United States. The tariff on China would be for what Trump said was failing to stop the manufacturing of fentanyl precursor chemicals, she said.