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Trump Pauses Tariffs After Canada and Mexico Pledge Border Crackdown

The 30-day halt comes as the countries step up efforts on immigration and drug smuggling.

President Donald Trump has agreed to a 30-day pause on his tariff threats against Mexico and Canada after the two countries committed to ramping up border enforcement and cracking down on drug trafficking.

The move comes after days of escalating tensions that nearly pushed North America to the brink of a trade war and upended two of the nation’s most crucial trade relationships.

On Monday (Feb 3), Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signaled cooperation, announcing that Canada would appoint a fentanyl czar, officially designate Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations, and establish a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to target organized crime, fentanyl distribution, and money laundering.

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The agreement follows a similar deal struck with Mexico, allowing time for negotiations on illegal immigration and drug smuggling. 

Earlier in the day, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced on social media that Mexico would immediately deploy 10,000 National Guard troops to its northern border to combat drug trafficking into the United States, with a particular focus on fentanyl.

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While Trump’s tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports are temporarily on hold, a separate 10% tariff on Chinese goods remains on track to take effect Tuesday (Feb 4). 

CBS News reports that Beijing wasted no time hitting back at the White House’s move, rolling out its own set of countermeasures—namely, tariffs of 10% to 15% on certain U.S. goods. 

The report went on to highlight the bigger concern: without a resolution, this tit-for-tat tariff battle could snowball into a full-blown trade war between the world's two largest economies.

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