Canada and Mexico have reacted strongly to President Donald Trump’s decision to impose steep tariffs, with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warning that these measures will have “real consequences for the American people.”

Since returning to the White House nearly two weeks ago, Trump has made numerous changes to U.S. policies, signing a record number of executive orders on his first day alone. Some of his earliest actions included revisions to passport and immigration policies.

The Trump administration has now imposed significantly higher import tariffs on several countries, including China, Canada, and Mexico. The new tariffs stand at 25 percent on imports from Mexico and Canada, while Chinese goods face a 10 percent tariff.

As expected, these decisions have sparked strong opposition from officials in the affected countries.

Canada and Mexico Push Back

Shortly before the tariffs were officially detailed on Saturday (February 1), Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made it clear that Canada was ready to respond.

“We’re ready with a response, a purposeful, forceful but reasonable, immediate response,” Trudeau stated.

Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addressed the issue during a press briefing on Friday (January 31), emphasizing that Mexico had multiple plans depending on the course of action taken by the U.S.

“We have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, depending on what the government of the United States decides,” Sheinbaum said.

“It is very important for the people of Mexico to know that we will always defend the dignity of our people, that we will always defend respect for our sovereignty, and engage in dialogue as equals, as we have always stated, without subordination.”