US President Donald Trump on Thursday said his proposed 25% tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods will proceed as scheduled on March 4, citing continued drug trafficking issues. He also imposed an extra 10% tariff on Chinese imports, following a 10% duty imposed on February 4.

Trump declared that illegal drugs, specifically the opioid fentanyl, continue to come into the US at “unacceptable levels.” On his Truth Social site, he reaffirmed his position, “We cannot permit this scourge to keep destroying the USA. Until it is stopped or is meaningfully down, the scheduled tariffs will go into effect.”

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His statement defused misunderstanding from one day prior when cabinet meeting remarks raised the prospect he could suspend the tariffs through April 4. But later Trump administration officials made it clear the April target applied to “reciprocal tariffs” to counter trade restrictions in other nations, including EU value-added taxes. White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett asserted a study on those tariffs should be out on April 1, following which Trump would consider broader trade measures.

Mexico’s Economy Minister, Marcelo Ebrard, will meet newly appointed US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to negotiate the resolution in reply. In Canada, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty brought attention to Canadian efforts to build up border security and fight narcotics smuggling, with the hope of these efforts responding to US concerns.

China too reacted, calling on the US to settle economic and trade differences through negotiations. In a letter to US Trade Representative Greer, Chinese officials stressed that negotiations should be fair.