US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the decision by President Donald Trump's administration to impose tariffs of up to 50 percent on a wide range of Canadian imports is a measure based on 'reciprocity' and a decisive response to the recent trade steps taken by Ottawa against US goods and companies.

The US president had approved imposing tariffs on Canadian goods estimated at about $20 billion, in a step that escalated tensions between the two neighboring countries across the northern border. This large package of tariffs comes in response to the retaliatory tariffs that Canada applied on imports of US cars, steel, aluminum, and beverages, as well as the high tariffs it imposes on US dairy products.

In an interview with Fox Business, Bessent accused Canadian authorities of violating competitiveness and pursuing 'highly discriminatory' policies on dairy, in addition to removing US beverages from Canadian store shelves. He stressed that the US step 'is nothing but a real application of the principle of reciprocity; protecting the interests of major companies and affirming their commercial rights.'