President Donald Trump's new tariff orders against Canada, Mexico and China all contain clauses suspending a duty-free exemption for low-value shipments below $800 that is widely seen as a loophole that has allowed shipments of fentanyl and its precursor chemicals into the United States.

President Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on Canada over drug trafficking, equating it with Mexico. U.S. government reports do not support the claim.

The White House says fentanyl smuggled to the U.S. justifies tariffs against Canada, China and Mexico. But fentanyl deaths and smuggling have been dropping fast — and Canada plays almost no role.

The Trump administration is following through on its promise to impose 25% tariffs on goods imported from Mexico and Canada and raise tariffs on Chinese goods on Saturday.

Even as Canada’s prime minister announced more than $100 billion in retaliatory tariffs, he made clear that he was imposing them reluctantly.

The United States and its biggest trading partners were hurtling Sunday into a new era of protectionism as Canada, Mexico and China said they would adopt countermeasures against new tariffs levied by President Donald Trump.

The move likely will trigger retaliation and risk igniting a trade war that could cause broad economic disruption for all countries involved.

On Saturday, Trump signed an order imposing substantial tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China. In response, China’s commerce ministry announced it would file a complaint with the World Trade Organization and “take corresponding countermeasures,” though details were not provided.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Saturday signed an order to impose stiff tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China, drawing swift retaliation and an undeniable sense of betrayal from the country’s North American neighbors as a trade war erupted among the longtime allies.

The White House says fentanyl smuggled to the U.S. justifies tariffs against Canada, China and Mexico. But fentanyl deaths and smuggling have been dropping fast — and Canada plays almost no role.