President Donald Trump announced Thursday that starting August 1, the United States will impose a 35% tariff on Canadian goods entering the country, escalating pressure on Canada to help fight the fentanyl crisis and address a widening trade deficit that Trump has repeatedly called a threat to America’s national security.

Trump, posting the announcement on Truth Social, noted that despite prior tariff warnings, Canada has “failed to take sufficient action” to stop the flow of fentanyl into the United States. The president highlighted the urgency of the crisis, pointing to the 76,000 Americans who died from fentanyl overdoses in 2023, and said the U.S. can no longer tolerate inaction from its closest trading partner.

The latest move increases tariffs from the 25% level Trump implemented in February, adding further financial strain as Canada continues to retaliate with its own tariffs on American goods. Trump made it clear the new tariffs could go even higher if Canada refuses to work with the U.S. to stop the illegal flow of fentanyl across the northern border. “These Tariffs may be modified, upward or downward, depending on our relationship with your Country,” Trump said in a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

While Canada remains the top buyer of American exports, purchasing $349.4 billion in goods in 2024, it also shipped $412.7 billion in goods to the U.S., leaving a trade deficit of over $63 billion. Trump’s team sees this as a vulnerability in the U.S. economy, particularly when layered with the national security threat posed by narcotics trafficking across the Canadian border.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded on X, stating that his government “has steadfastly defended our workers and businesses” during ongoing trade negotiations, emphasizing that Canada has made “vital progress” in combatting the fentanyl crisis within North America. However, Trump’s team remains unconvinced, arguing that drug flows continue at unacceptable rates and that decisive leverage is required to prompt real action.

This latest tariff threat is part of a broader strategy by Trump’s administration to tie trade negotiations directly to fentanyl enforcement, pressuring major trading partners to crack down on drug trafficking or face steep economic consequences. Earlier this year, Trump threatened increased tariffs on other key trading partners, including a 50% rate on South Korea and Japan, while continuing to pursue deals with the UK, Vietnam, and China.

Trump’s aggressive approach has divided opinions in Washington. Supporters argue that using economic leverage to force international partners to cooperate in stopping fentanyl flows is a necessary and innovative strategy to address a crisis killing tens of thousands of Americans every year. Critics claim the policy could harm American consumers with higher prices and disrupt vital trade relationships with close allies.

Despite these criticisms, Trump remains firm in his conviction that leveraging America’s economic power is essential to defending the nation’s borders and saving lives from the scourge of fentanyl. Administration officials argue that prior administrations have failed to take the threat seriously, leaving communities across the country devastated by drug overdoses while foreign governments avoid accountability.

The Trump administration’s latest tariff escalation underscores a key theme of the president’s second term: using America’s economic might as a weapon to secure national interests, whether on the border, in trade, or in international security. As the August 1 deadline approaches, Canada faces a critical choice: work with the U.S. to stop fentanyl at the source, or risk deeper economic penalties that could reshape the trade dynamic between the two nations.

For Americans concerned about the fentanyl crisis and its deadly toll, the new tariffs represent a bold move aimed at saving lives while reaffirming the administration’s commitment to putting American interests first, no matter how loud the complaints from global elites or foreign governments might be.