Some products removed from 50% tariff list

Tight races in states with heavy Canada trade ties

US President Donald Trump meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 7, 2025. [Reuters]
US President Donald Trump meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 7, 2025. [Reuters]

US President Donald Trump has exempted some Canadian products from a 50% tariff.

The move is seen as an effort to boost Republican candidates ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, as competitive races have emerged in states heavily dependent on trade with Canada.

The White House said Friday (local time) that Trump signed a proclamation adjusting the 50% tariff on certain Canadian products. The revised measures take effect on Oct. 30.

Under the changes, plywood and some paper products, certain machinery and refrigeration equipment, and packaging boxes will be removed from the tariff list. In their place, some valves, carpets and waste-related products will be newly added.

Earlier, after trade negotiations with Canada broke down last summer, the Trump administration imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. Canada responded with retaliatory tariffs, deepening the trade dispute between the two countries.

Ahead of the midterms, Democratic candidate Troy Jackson has made Trump's trade war with Canada a central campaign issue in Maine, a state with strong trade ties to its northern neighbor.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who is seeking reelection there, had been pressing the administration to ease the burden that tariffs have placed on local industries and consumers.

Collins said in a statement that "many farms in Maine rely on specialized Canadian equipment and packaging materials that are not available in the United States or cannot be replaced without significant cost."

She added that she had been urging the Trump administration to ease tariffs on those products, and said she would continue pushing for further tariff relief and call for a comprehensive trade agreement with Canada.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the tariff adjustments could also benefit Republican candidates in Michigan and New Hampshire, states with significant trade exposure to Canada.


joze@heraldcorp.com