Trump Pauses 50% Canada Tariffs for 3 Days as Trade Deal Nears Completion

President Trump announced late Tuesday, August 18, 2026 that he was pausing the 50% Section 338 tariffs on Canadian imports — set to take effect the next morning, August 19 — for a three-day period, saying on Truth Social that the US and Canada 'have a deal!' subject to finalizing the paperwork. The tariffs, announced July 20 and covering roughly $16-20 billion of Canadian dairy, agriculture, furniture, alcohol, and vehicle imports, had been set to kick in hours after Trump's post. Prime Minister Mark Carney's government had been racing to close a deal with Washington before the deadline; the pause buys both sides additional time to finalize terms.