ORLANDO, Fla. – President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports went into effect on Tuesday morning, expected to impact a slew of products including cars and car parts.
A 25% tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports began Tuesday, with Trump enacting a second 10% tariff on Chinese imports. He also enacted a fixed 10% tariff for Canadian energy resources specifically.
In a release, White House officials claimed that the U.S. — which has one of the most open economies and lowest average tariff rates worldwide — would implement these tariffs as a means of protecting manufacturing at home.
“Tariffs are a powerful, proven source of leverage for protecting the national interest,” the release reads. “President Trump is using the tools at hand and taking decisive action that puts Americans’ safety and our national security first.”
[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]
Aside from lopsided trade deficits, the release also points to issues with illegal immigration, arguing that the tariffs are intended to put pressure on these countries to better address these problems.
“More than 10 million illegal aliens attempted to enter the United States under (former President) Biden’s leadership, including a rising number of Chinese nationals and people on the terror watchlist,” the release continues. “The problem is not confined to the southern border — encounters at the northern border with Canada are rising, as well.”
In Orlando, Kenny Sloan owns Sloan’s Automotive, which has been in business for over 30 years.
“I do anticipate that’s probably going to make both getting parts more expensive and probably for producing and manufacturing cars too,” said Kenny Sloan, owner of Sloan’s Automotive.
The U.S. imported more than $45 billion worth of Canadian agricultural products including beef, pork, grains and potatoes in 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
However, cars and auto parts are among the top five imports from both countries, the U.S. Census Bureau stated.
“I think it’s going to make car repair a little bit more expensive,” Sloan said. “Probably because those prices are going to trickle down to us as buying the part, and the consumer is buying the part from us in turn.”
Data from the Census Bureau shows the U.S. imported nearly $93 billion in auto parts from Mexico in 2023. The agency also said the U.S. imported nearly $43 billion in cars and trucks, and $14.1 billion in auto parts from Canada.
“I would imagine it’s going to make the purchasing vehicles more expensive, too, like a new car parts is probably gonna be more expensive now that a lot of new cars — as well as the parts are both coming out primarily out of Mexico for feeding us,” Sloan said.
Sloan said whatever comes next as a result of the tariffs — they’ll make it work.
“I think whatever it is, however it gets handled,” Sloan said. “I mean, we’re going to get through it one way or the other. We always do.”