President Donald Trump is granting U.S. automakers a one-month pause from the 25% tariffs that went into effect against Canada and Mexico on Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced.
Leavitt read a statement from Trump during Wednesday’s press briefing after she confirmed the one-month reprieve.
Recommended Stories
- WATCH LIVE: Karoline Leavitt holds White House press briefing after Trump joint address
- Four feisty moments from Trump's address to Congress
- How White House 'customer service' office is handpicking Trump's top hires
“We spoke with the big three auto dealers. We are going to give a one-month exemption on any autos coming through USMCA,” Leavitt read from the statement, referring to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, legislation that Trump negotiated during his first term in office.
TRUMP’S JOINT ADDRESS SPEECH USED AGAINST HIM IN DOGE LAWSUIT
“Reciprocal tariffs will still go into effect on April 2, but at the request of the companies associated with USMCA, the president is giving them an exemption for one month so they are not [at an] economic disadvantage,” Leavitt continued.
General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis, the big three companies, requested the meeting with Trump after the 25% tariffs went into effect and prompted retaliatory tariffs from Canada, with Mexico expected to announce details about its own tariffs on Sunday.
Leavitt reiterated Trump’s stance that reciprocal tariffs would go into effect next month with no possibility for relief and encouraged the automakers to begin shifting production to the U.S.
“The reciprocal tariffs will go into effect on April 2, and he feels strongly about that, no matter what, no … exemption. So, that’s where the one month comes from,” she explained.
“He told them that they should get on it, start investing, start moving, shift production here to the United States of America where they will pay no tariffs. That’s the ultimate goal,” Leavitt said.