Prices for home appliances, cars and auto parts could be impacted by President Donald Trump’s decision overnight to end trade talks between the U.S. and Canada, some trade experts told ABC News.
Trump said he’s terminating trade negotiations with Canada in response to a negative TV advertisement about tariffs rolled out earlier this month by the Canadian province of Ontario.
“TARIFFS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY, AND ECONOMY, OF THE U.S.A. Based on their egregious behavior, ALL TRADE NEGOTIATIONS WITH CANADA ARE HEREBY TERMINATED,” Trump posted on his social media platform.
The ad features audio with excerpts of a 1987 address by then-President Ronald Reagan that came as he imposed some duties on Japanese products but cautioned about the long-term economic risks of high tariffs and the threat of a trade war.
Trump claimed, without evidence, that the ad aimed to sway the outcome of a U.S. Supreme Court case over the tariffs, which is set to come before justices next month. In a post on X, Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged cooperation between the two countries.
“Canada and the United States are friends, neighbours and allies. President Ronald Reagan knew that we are stronger together. God bless Canada and God bless the United States,” Ford said.
Canadian goods currently face steep 35% tariffs, though many of those exports to the U.S. remain duty-free because the policy excludes products compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, a free trade agreement.
A separate swathe of Canadian products is subject to sector-specific tariffs, such as 50% levies on steel and aluminum.
In trade negotiations, Canada sought to reduce or lift the steel and aluminum tariffs, but a halt to discussions could keep those in place for an extended period, experts said. Canada is the top exporter of steel and aluminum to the U.S.
Steel and aluminum are found in a host of goods, including home appliances, food packaging, cars and auto parts, some experts added.
“Trade talks could’ve resulted in the lowering of existing tariffs,” Michael Sposi, a professor of economics at Southern Methodist University, told ABC News.
Steel is the top material by weight in a car, accounting for about 60% of its weight, according to the American Iron and Steel Institute.
When steel imports face stiff taxes, the price of steel paid by U.S. manufacturers rises, meaning higher input costs for automakers, experts previously told ABC News. Those companies, they added, are likely to hike prices for consumers as a means of offsetting some of those costs.
Major home appliances — such as refrigerators, dishwashers and washing machines — rely in part on steel, making them vulnerable to elevated prices due to tariffs.
In June, Trump suspended talks over Canada’s plans for a Digital Service Tax, which would have imposed a 3% levy on U.S. technology companies. Talks resumed days later after Canada abandoned plans for the tax.
Last year, the U.S. ran a trade deficit with Canada of $63 billion, which marked a slight decrease from the previous year, according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. By comparison, the U.S. ran a larger trade deficit last year with its other top trading partners: A $295 billion deficit with China and a $171 billion deficit with Mexico.
The U.S. makes up the destination for roughly three-quarters of Canadian exports, while such products make up about 11% of U.S. imports.
The list of major Canadian exports to the U.S. also includes crude oil, natural gas and motor vehicles, though many of those goods remain tariff-free on account of their compliance with the USMCA.
The USMCA is up for a joint review next year, giving the countries an opportunity to amend the agreement. If Trump’s renewed frustrations affect the outcome of those negotiations, it could impact the price of some additional imported products such as cars, Tyler Schipper, a professor of economics at the University of St. Thomas, told ABC News.
“The breakdown of these talks about current tariffs probably doesn’t bode well for those negotiations,” Schipper said.
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