Breaking News: Trump’s odd two-word message to farmers as he announced massive new tariffs….See More

The new tariffs are part of his plan to strengthen the U.S. agricultural sector by reducing reliance on imports.

President Donald Trump has issued an unusual message to American farmers following the announcement of a significant new tariff on agricultural imports, set to take effect on April 2.

In a post on his personal social media platform, Trump encouraged farmers to “have fun'” with the change, indicating a drive for increased domestic agricultural production.

This brief comment was made after he confirmed that tariffs would be applied to agricultural products imported from outside the U.S.

These new tariffs are part of his broader strategy to bolster the U.S. agricultural sector by reducing dependence on imports. Last week, Trump threatened China with tariffs to the tune of an additional 10% duty, which would take effect on Tuesday, resulting in a 20% tariff.

He accused Beijing of not doing enough to stop the influx of fentanyl into America, a claim which China equated to “blackmail.”

Trump also said Monday that 25% taxes on imports from Mexico and Canada would start Tuesday, sparking renewed fears of a North American trade war that already showed signs of pushing up inflation and hindering growth.

Tomorrow — tariffs 25% on Canada and 25% on Mexico. And that’ll start,” Trump told reporters in the Roosevelt Room. “They’re going to have to have a tariff.”

Trump has said the tariffs are to force the two U.S. neighbors to step up their fight against fentanyl trafficking and stop illegal immigration. But Trump has also indicated that he wants to even the trade imbalance with both countries as well and push more factories to relocate in the United States.

Economists generally don’t share Trump’s enthusiasm for tariffs, often arguing that they’re essentially a tax on importers that typically gets passed on to consumers. However, it’s conceivable that Trump’s threat of reciprocal tariffs could bring other nations to the negotiating table and persuade them to lower their import taxes.

“It could be win-win,” suggested Christine McDaniel, a former U.S. trade official currently at George Mason University’s Mercatus Center. “It’s in other countries’ interests to reduce those tariffs.”