Canada to impose retaliatory tariffs on $20 billion in US goods as trade war escalates. Follow live updates.
Trump lawyers warn Kennedy Center might need demolition if not fixed — 12:37 p.m.
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By the New York Times
Lawyers for the Trump administration told a federal judge that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts desperately needs the major renovation ordered by President Trump and raised the specter that it would need to be “taken down” if those plans are blocked.
In a court filing late Monday, Justice Department lawyers defended plans for the $250 million renovation project and described how, as recognition for the president’s role, an inscription of his name on the arts center’s marble facade would be appropriate.
“Without those efforts, the center will deteriorate further into an unsafe, decrepit structure that will be required to be taken down,” the filing said, “with a determination to follow on what to build on the site, such as a large outdoor amphitheater overlooking the Potomac River that has been proposed, by some, for many years.”
Which products is Canada targeting in its counter-tariffs? — 12:27 p.m.
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By the Associated Press
includes additional targets, like goods made of steel and aluminum — which already face a separate 50% U.S. sectoral tariff on most imports globally.
Some examples:
- Live and frozen fish, crustaceans, oysters and mussels
- Cheese and curd products
- Natural honey, molasses and baking mixtures
- Perfume, makeup and hair preparations
- Toilet paper, facial tissues and envelopes
- Various metal products made of steel or aluminum, including wire, rods, pipes and foil
- Stoves, ranges, refrigerators and other household appliances
- Smartphones and video game consoles
The new tariffs on these products will carry rates that vary between 15%, 25% or 50%.
ICE arrests jumped to nearly 50,000 in July, the highest monthly total of Trump’s second term — 12:13 p.m.
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By the Associated Press
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested nearly 50,000 people during July, the highest single monthly arrest total during the second Trump administration, according to new figures.
The spike in immigration arrests shows that the administration has continued to advance its mass deportations agenda despite a shift in approach earlier this year from high-profile operations in large American cities that sparked a public outcry to arrests that have garnered less attention but have nonetheless been disruptive.
The July arrest tally of 49,571 marks a 15% jump from 43,021 arrests a month earlier and a 70% increase from 29,241 in February, in the aftermath of the Trump administration’s enforcement surge in Minnesota, according to government data that was provided by ICE to the University of California, Berkeley’s Deportation Data Project and analyzed by The Associated Press.
Finance Minister: ‘This is a Team Canada moment’ — 12:10 p.m.
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By the Associated Press
“This a moment to stand up,” Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne also said.
Canada will not accept restrictions on its ability to choose its trading partners, he said.
“Maintaining our economic sovereignty is non-negotiable. That’s what we did, and that’s what we’ll do.”
Canadian minister of jobs spells out economic impact of US tariffs — 11:55 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
The “unjust tariffs” and “economic warfare” have consequences, said Patty Hajdu at the press conference, noting that the impact of tariffs has been felt before, though not at this level.
The unknowns of what comes next — how big a dent tariffs will make in people’s pocketbooks — causes “worry and anxiety” that makes it challenging to plan for the future, she said.
“It has an effect of sort of freezing people in place: Should I make that investment? Should I buy that new house? Should I take that vacation? Should I add on to my businesses? Should I add a product line?” Hajdu said.
Canada aims to cushion blow to its economy and consumers — 11:41 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
Canada also announced a support package for workers and businesses affected by the dispute worth $7.5 billion in Canadian dollars (US$5.4 billion). They said the counter tariffs will raise costs for some businesses and consumers, but expect the overall economic effects to be moderate.
They said the government has provided more than $30 billion Canadian dollars (US$21.7 billion) in tariff-related support since the beginning of 2025 — far more than it has collected in retaliatory duties — as it tries to cushion the blow.
The two countries have deeply integrated supply chains across autos, energy, agriculture and manufacturing, making a prolonged trade fight potentially costly for businesses and workers on both sides of the border.
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly urged Canadians to buy Canadian products as they “launch this movement of resistance to what is happening to us.”
Canada is matching US tariffs ‘dollar for dollar, rate for rate’ — 11:28 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
Canadian officials led by Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced the retaliatory tariffs, which they said would go into effect on Sept. 8.
Trump’s tariffs “will have real consequences for Canadian workers, businesses and communities across our nation. Canada must respond, and today we are,” Champagne said.
“We did not choose this conflict, but when our economic integration is used as a weapon rather than the foundation for a win-win partnership, we need to stand up,” Champagne added in French.
Canada announces retaliatory tariffs against the US — 11:13 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
Canada struck back at the US with retaliatory tariffs on about $20 billion worth of American goods, including steel, dairy products, appliances and farm equipment, as the trade war between the once-friendly neighbors escalated sharply.
The tension threatened one of the world’s largest trading relationships. The new tariffs extended well beyond industrial goods, hitting everyday purchases such as seafood, cheese, clothing, cosmetics and toilet paper, with some facing duties as high as 50%.
The tariffs will take effect Sept. 8 at rates of 15%, 25% and 50%, with Canada matching the corresponding U.S. tariff rate on more than 700 products such as pulp and paper and electronics. The tariffs on many American products would double from 25% to 50%, with the largest share of the new measures affecting steel and aluminum.
Trump’s trade war with Canada could rattle economies in states with key Senate races — 11:05 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
Trump’s trade war threatens Republican efforts to address voters’ economic concerns as control of the U.S. Senate hinges on states along the border.
“Imposing new tariffs on Canada is a mistake,” Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, one of Democrats’ top targets this year, said while campaigning Monday.
The issue also puts pressure on Republicans in the border states of Michigan, Ohio and Alaska, and in Iowa, whose main trading partner is Canada.
“Trump is escalating a trade war with Canada for his own vanity,” Michigan’s Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed said on social media, adding that his Republican opponent, former Rep. Mike Rogers, is a “rubber stamp” for such policies.
Prediction markets try to read N.H. voter sentiment ahead of Sept. 8 primary — 10:49 a.m.
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By Steven Porter, Globe Staff
With two weeks left until the Sept. 8 primaries in New Hampshire, as candidates in contested Democratic and Republican races sprint into the home stretch, some outside observers are hoping to cash in on their own political prognostication.
Prediction markets, including Kalshi and Polymarket, let users place wagers on a wide range of real-world future events, including elections — and New Hampshire’s state primary has attracted hundreds of thousands of dollars in bets on those two websites.
The markets suggest users are fairly confident about who will win most of the big primaries in New Hampshire, with one notable exception.
Ontario premier, after trading insults with Trump, wants to dial it down — 10:45 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
Doug Ford, who traded personal insults with Trump a day earlier, struck a more conciliatory tone Tuesday, dismissing the president’s Lake Ontario threat as “a lot of rhetoric” and urging the two countries to resume negotiations.
Ford acknowledged in a CNN interview that the dispute had “got a little personal” and agreed it’s time to lower the temperature. He said the trade fight is hurting both countries and that Canada and the United States should “get back to the table” and negotiate a fair deal.
Businesses and consumers are caught in the middle, facing uncertainty about price increases — 10:07 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
Michael Howard II, owner of a furniture business in Warren, Michigan, outside Detroit, said the tariffs will hamper the “ability for us to put food on the table for our family, but also impacts the ability for us to give back to our community.”
Howard and his wife started their business a decade ago. They make and sell everything from dining room tables to bookcases.
“To say that we don’t need Canada is just disingenuous,” he said. “It’s dishonest. And it’s just absolutely not truthful. We need our neighbor, but also they need us.”
Canadians warn that trade war could harm US automakers — 10:01 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
Ontario Premier Doug Ford told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview Monday that “everything is on the table,” noting his province would be ready to cut off electricity and critical minerals to the U.S. if the trade war worsens. Trump “underestimates Canada. We’re all in,” Ford said.
Cars and auto parts, as well as energy products, were excluded from Trump’s latest round of tariffs — but remained key sticking points in negotiations that crumbled over the weekend, and Carney said Monday that Washington’s auto-sector proposals would “gradually dismantle” Canadian production.
Canada is the largest customer for U.S. automobiles, Carney noted — and he questioned what Trump’s latest move would mean for workers in states such as Ohio, Kentucky and Alabama who depend on that demand.
US households face higher prices on more than 550 Canadian products — 9:55 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
Here are just some of the many items specified by the White House that are subject to Trump’s 50% import tax:
- Natural honey
- Bulbs for plants such as tulips and lilies, as well as some fresh cut flowers
- Seeds for beets, onions and other vegetables
- Horsehair, tortoise shells, antlers and various animal products
- Alcohol such as beer, vermouth and cider
- Furniture knobs, wallpaper and lighting fixtures
- Plates, cups, bowls and other kitchen or tableware
- Paints, varnishes, vinyl tile floor coverings and various plywood sheets
- Ice skates, golf equipment, fishing rods and other sports accessories
- Perfumes, makeup and manicure preparations
- Suitcases, bags, gloves and coats
- Toys and certain “articles for Christmas festivities”
- Digital cameras and recording equipment
- Smartphones and video game consoles
- Envelopes, cigarette paper and toilet or facial tissue
Here’s what Carney said about the US position on French-language content and labels — 9:50 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
Carney said Monday that U.S. negotiators had raised the discoverability of French-language content on streaming platforms, along with French-language labeling rules, as trade irritants.
And he rejected the idea that such protections were negotiable, saying in French: “For the Americans, questions about the French language, Quebec culture, francophone culture and Canadian culture are irritants. Here in Quebec, here in Canada, they are rights — fundamental rights.”
Secret Service confirms awareness of Iranian state media video threatening Barron Trump’s life — 9:45 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
The US Secret Service has confirmed it is aware that Iranian state media has aired a video that appears to threaten the life of Barron Trump, President Trump’s youngest son.
“The U.S. Secret Service is aware of the video and investigates anything that can be perceived as a threat toward our protectees,” Secret Service spokesman Nate Herring said in a statement. “Out of concern for operational security, we do not discuss matters of protective intelligence.”
Trump denies attempting to interfere with Canadians’ right to speak French — 9:20 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
“I love French Canadians,” the president said in a follow-up social media post.
Trump appeared to be responding to assertions by Carney that the United States had proposed measures he deemed unacceptable that would hurt French language protections.
Trump accused Carney of telling a “lie” and disparaged the prime minister as “weak” and “ineffective.”
“I would never interfere with Canadians speaking French! In fact, I have never even thought of doing such a stupid thing,” he said, asserting the claim was made up by Carney in a bid to boost his political standing at home.
Trump floats renaming Lake Ontario as ‘Lake America’ as trade war with Canada escalates — 9:02 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
President Trump said he is considering changing the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America” as the trade war between the United States and Canada intensifies.
Such a change would be reminiscent of the Republican president’s unilateral action last year by executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
The United States and Canada are locked in a trade dispute, with Canada expected to announce retaliatory measures Tuesday. That’s in response to the Trump administration enacting 50 percent tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian goods over the weekend after talks between the countries broke down.
Democratic leader Jeffries fires back at critics after meeting with Jared Kushner — 8:58 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
“He asked for a meeting and I took it,” says Rep. Hakeem Jeffries in a defiant video posted to social media.
Wearing a New York Yankees cap and looking straight into the camera, Jeffries, who is in line to become House speaker if Democrats seize majority control of the House, leveled a follow-up warning: “I shouldn’t have to say it but I am: No one is going to get a pass.”
“We are going to hold every single member of the Trump cartel accountable — from day one,” Jeffries said, foreshadowing a robust oversight agenda.
Darline Graham, Ralph Norman go head-to-head in South Carolina’s GOP Senate runoff — 8:52 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
US Senator Darline Graham and US Representative Ralph Norman face South Carolina voters yet again Tuesday in a special Republican primary runoff to replace the late Lindsey Graham in the Senate, one month after his sudden death.
The two-week runoff window since the two Republicans were the top vote getters in an Aug. 11 primary has been a slugfest. Darline Graham — a political newcomer serving as interim replacement for her late brother — has struggled to define herself to voters who routinely backed Lindsey Graham in the heavily Republican state. Norman, who’s served the better part of two decades in state and federal elected office, has stressed his experience to voters already aware of him from his years in Congress, plus an unsuccessful run for governor earlier this year.
Trump’s trade war with Canada could rattle economies in states with key Senate races — 8:41 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
President Trump’s trade war with Canada is escalating as the midterm elections approach, threatening Republican efforts to address voters’ economic concerns in a year when control of the U.S. Senate hinges on states along the border between the United States and its northern neighbor.
The dispute flared over the weekend after negotiations broke down, leading Trump to raise tariffs on $20 billion in Canadian imports. Canada plans to announce tariffs of its own on Tuesday, and the spiraling conflict could lead to higher prices and scrambled supply chains for Americans already aggravated at the president’s management of the economy.
From ‘Fortress North America’ to all-out trade war: How the US-Canada talks collapsed — 8:30 a.m.
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By The New York Times
The clock ticked toward midnight on Friday. New US tariffs on Canada were about to come into effect and negotiators cooped up across the street from the White House were still plodding through the differences on each side. Aides shuffled in and out with new drafts, adjusting and readjusting.
US officials said they had offered Canada the best trade deal of any nation. Canadians believed it was a bad one. In the waning hours, both sides dug in even more.
One Canadian negotiator said it was as if “shadow figures were suddenly in the room,” raising topics that had supposedly been settled in previous days.
Back in Ottawa, Prime Minister Mark Carney got off the phone with Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario. Ford had told him plainly: Don’t take the deal.
Nothing changes yet with the Supreme Court’s order on elections. But it could open door to ‘chaos.’ — 1:30 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
The Supreme Court’s decision giving preliminary approval for President Trump’s order restricting mail voting may not lead to a single election procedure changing during the November midterms, but it has already thrown into uncertainty the method that nearly one-third of the country uses to vote.
Rather than saying that Trump’s order is legal, the high court said Monday it was too early for Democratic-run states to challenge it in June, when they convinced a federal judge in Boston to freeze the order for November’s election. That effectively restarts the legal fight over the order in an incredibly compressed timeline, with initial ballots scheduled to be sent to North Carolina’s overseas and military voters in just over a week, on Sept. 4.
Trump’s trade war with Canada could rattle economies in states with key Senate races — 12:22 a.m.
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By the Associated Press
President Trump’s trade war with Canada is escalating as the midterm elections approach, threatening Republican efforts to address voters’ economic concerns in a year when control of the US Senate hinges on states along the border between the United States and its northern neighbor.
The dispute flared over the weekend after negotiations broke down, leading Trump to raise tariffs on $20 billion in Canadian imports. Canada plans to announce tariffs of its own on Tuesday, and the spiraling conflict could lead to higher prices and scrambled supply chains for Americans already aggravated at the president’s management of the economy.