NEW YORK — President Donald Trump has rolled back some of the steep tariffs on Canadian goods as support in battleground states wavers ahead of the midterm elections on Nov. 3 local time.
The White House said on the 23rd local time that Trump signed a proclamation adjusting the 50% tariff on certain Canadian products. Plywood, some paper products, certain machinery, freezing equipment and packaging boxes will be removed from the list of goods subject to the tariff. Some valves, carpets and waste-related products will be newly added. The revised measures take effect on the 30th.
The rollback is seen as a response to the damage the tariffs inflicted on economies in closely contested midterm districts. Trump imposed the 50% tariff on $20 billion worth of Canadian products in August after trade negotiations broke down. Canada retaliated with tariffs of up to 50%.
In Maine, a state with large trade volumes with Canada, Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who is seeking re-election, asked the White House to ease the burden the tariffs placed on local industries and consumers. Her Democratic challenger in the race, Troy Jackson, has made the Trump administration's trade war with Canada a central issue of the campaign. The Wall Street Journal also reported that the administration planned to scrap part of the 50% tariff on Canadian goods to support Collins in her re-election bid. In a statement the same day, Collins said many Maine farms depend on specialized Canadian equipment and packaging materials that are unavailable in the United States or can be replaced only at substantial cost. She said she would push for further tariff relief and press for a comprehensive trade agreement with Canada.