He noted those tariffs were separate from a broad effort by the Commerce Department, the U.S. Trade Representative’s office and the Treasury Department to review trade relations and tariffs by April 1.

President Donald Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, billionaire financial-services executive Howard Lutnick, made an effort Wednesday to ease concerns about potentially inflationary 25% tariffs against Canada and Mexico that could hit Saturday.

United States President Donald Trump ’s pick to lead the Commerce Department said Mexico and Canada can avoid new tariffs due this weekend if they clamp down on border security — while also signalling that Trump is likely to impose widespread new levies to return manufacturing to U.S. soil.