The White House ramped up its ongoing trade conflict with Ottawa late Tuesday, introducing a fresh wave of trade sanctions that include outright import bans on targeted goods like alcohol and steep tariff hikes on various other Canadian exports.
Under a newly signed executive order by President Donald Trump, a 50% surcharge will be levied on a range of Canadian goods—including mattresses, motorboats, and golf carts—starting September 15.
A separate pair of executive directives issued alongside the order institutes an import prohibition effective September 29. This ban covers select dairy goods, such as whey, as well as several categories of Canadian alcoholic beverages.
While a companion order outlines exemptions from the 50% tariffs introduced after last month’s collapsed trade negotiations, the exclusion list remains minimal and is restricted to essential items like toilet paper.
The latest offensive follows Ottawa’s recent implementation of retaliatory tariffs ranging from 15% to 50% on American exports, which were enacted in response to duties announced by Washington on August 22.
Briefing reporters on condition of anonymity, a senior administration official defended the White House’s punitive measures.
”President Trump is doing this to make sure, again, that we keep a level playing field, deter retaliation, and of course protect American production,” the official stated.
The official further noted that Canadian leaders had been previously cautioned that pursuing counter-measures would trigger further escalation from Washington.
Justifying the ban on Canadian alcohol, Trump highlighted what he characterized as unfair trade practices by Canadian provincial governments regarding U.S. liquor.
Following the onset of Trump’s tariff policy last year, a grassroots consumer boycott of American goods spread across Canada. Consequently, government-run provincial liquor boards removed U.S. wines and spirits from retail shelves across most of the country.
Ahead of the executive orders, Trump threatened earlier Tuesday to disqualify Canadian suppliers from lucrative federal contracting opportunities unless Ottawa adjusted its trade policies.
In a social media statement, Trump announced he had directed agencies “to REMOVE Canadian-origin products from GSA’s Multiple Award Schedules,” referencing the General Services Administration’s primary procurement network, which handles over $50 billion in government contracting annually.
Trade Atty. Ryan Majerus noted that targeting federal procurement could significantly broaden the economic impact beyond existing product-specific tariffs.