AD SPACE HERE

That’s an Order — Trump’s Tariffs to Hit Lumber Starting February 1!

Donald Trump today rebuffed claims that the United States needs Canadian timber - stating it has "all the trees we need, meaning the lumber."


Fri 31 Jan 25

SHARE

Donald Trump will follow through on his threat to hit Canadian (and Mexican) lumber with a 25% tariff after he today reiterated concerns around illegal migration, fentanyl and trade deficits: “I’ll be putting the tariff of 25% on Canada, and separately, 25% on Mexico, and we’ll have to do that,” Trump told reporters while signing executive orders on aviation.

In making the determination, Trump cited a “number of reasons” for doing so. “No. 1 is the people that have poured into our country so horribly and so much. No. 2 are the drugs, fentanyl and everything else that has come into the country. And No. 3 are the massive subsidies we are giving to Canada and Mexico in the form of deficits,” Trump said. Before adding that “those tariffs may or may not rise with time.”

“We have all the oil we need, we have all the trees we need, meaning the lumber.”

Donald Trump today stressed from inside the Oval Office that lumber will be one of the industries hit by tariffs starting tomorrow (Saturday, the 1st of February 2025).

As it stands, the United States already has imposed a 14.4% duty on $3 billion worth of Canadian lumber that crosses the border every year, which analysts expect could double to more than 30% if and when the US Department of Commerce imposes new duties on imported in response to a sharp drop in the price of Canadian timber (now down 70% from the 2021 peak).

WFHN3N55eNZGpugUmGjR 1 1068x905.jpg
Last month, Wood Central revealed that billions of dollars worth of timber and forestry products will be affected by Trump’s tariffs. Economists warned that forest products are among the most exposed to a potential trade war. Image: Peterson Institute for International Economics

During the same meeting, Trump said he was “thinking about (doing) something” on China because they’re sending fentanyl into our country, but he did not speak about when he might levy tariffs on Beijing or how high he would raise them. After winning the election in November, Trump threatened to impose a 10% tariff on Chinese imports.

The remarks come amid ongoing discussions between the Trump administration and Mexican and Canadian officials. They now seek to reassure the president that they are clamping down on border security to stave off the tariffs. Both countries have vowed to retaliate with tariffs if Trump follows through on his threats.

China and the United States - two of the world's largest forest markets have been subject to ongoing trade wars. Here, logs pile up at Astoria in Oregon, the United States in 2019. (Photo Credit: Design Pics Inc / Alamy Stock Photo)
Mexico – the United States’ top market for lumber exports has vowed to retaliate with tariffs, hitting large volumes of timber that travel across the Southern border. (Photo Credit: Design Pics Inc / Alamy Stock Photo)

Trump initially vowed to impose those tariffs on his first day in office, but earlier this month, he appeared to backtrack and set a Feb. 1 deadline instead. For what it’s worth, Trump’s nominee for Commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, also indicated at his confirmation hearing Wednesday that Canada and Mexico could avoid the threats and said the countries were making progress toward addressing border security concerns.

On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump remains committed to new tariffs but added that they have seen a “historic level of cooperation from Mexico.” At a time when the White House is concerned about reducing high food prices, the threatened duties would hit more than $75 billion worth of agricultural imports from the two North American neighbours.

Author

  • Jason Ross

    Jason Ross, publisher, is a 15-year professional in building and construction, connecting with more than 400 specifiers. A Gottstein Fellowship recipient, he is passionate about growing the market for wood-based information. Jason is Wood Central's in-house emcee and is available for corporate host and MC services.

spot_img

Related Articles