Trump imposes tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, spurring prospect of inflation and trade war – Boston News, Weather, Sports [Video]

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Saturday signed an order to impose stiff tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China, drawing swift retaliation from the country’s North American neighbors in an emerging trade war.

The Republican president posted on social media that the tariffs were necessary “to protect Americans,” pressing the three nations to do more to curb the manufacture and export of illicit fentanyl and for Canada and Mexico to reduce illegal immigration into the U.S. The action fulfilled one of Trump’s commitments to voters but threw the global economy and Trump’s own political mandate to lower prices into turmoil.

The tariffs, if sustained, could cause inflation to significantly worsen, possibly eroding voters’ trust that Trump could as promised lower the prices of groceries, gasoline, housing, autos and other goods.

Trump declared an economic emergency in order to place duties of 10% on all imports from China and 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada. But energy …