Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday claimed that India had agreed to lower its import duties on American goods after he publicly criticized the country’s tariff policies. Speaking at the White House, Trump accused India of imposing excessively high tariffs on U.S. products, making trade difficult.
“India charges us massive tariffs—massive! You can’t even sell anything in India,” Trump stated. He further asserted that India had now agreed to reduce its tariffs after his administration brought attention to the issue. His remarks coincided with Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s visit to Washington for trade discussions with U.S. Trade Representative Howard Lutnick.
Trump also directed criticism at Canada, accusing the country of imposing disproportionately high tariffs on U.S. dairy and lumber products. He hinted at the possibility of imposing reciprocal tariffs on Canadian goods in response.
“Our country has been taken advantage of by many nations—Canada, Mexico, India,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “Canada has been overcharging us for years on lumber and dairy products. They’ll face the exact same tariffs unless they drop theirs,” he warned, adding that such measures could take effect as soon as Monday or Tuesday.
Trump’s comments are part of a broader trade pressure campaign against Canada, which he has accused of unfair trade practices and failing to curb the flow of fentanyl across the U.S.-Canada border. While most trade between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico occurs duty-free under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the U.S. currently imposes combined anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties of approximately 14.5% on Canadian softwood lumber imports.
Additionally, Trump recently launched a national security investigation into global lumber imports, potentially leading to higher tariffs. On Thursday, he temporarily suspended a 25% tariff on most Canadian and Mexican imports, initially imposed due to concerns over the fentanyl crisis, for 30 days.