Trudeau said Canada would, in response, put 25 percent tariffs on $20.5 billion worth of unspecified U.S. goods. China announced levies on U.S. food imports and halted the sale of Chinese goods to 15 American companies. In Mexico, there were calls for boycotts of U.S. companies and products.

Donald Trump has looked at tariffs as a tool to raise revenue and offset costs associated with his proposed tax cuts.

The longer the tariffs stick, the more damage they can do, forcing companies to decide between eating higher costs and passing them along to inflation-weary consumers. If the tari