President Donald Trump's nominee to run the Commerce Department, Howard Lutnick, said on Wednesday that Canada and Mexico can avoid looming U.S. tariffs if they act swiftly to close their borders to fentanyl,

President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Commerce Department said Mexico and Canada can avoid new tariffs due this weekend if they clamp down on border security — while also signaling that Trump is likely to impose widespread new levies to return manufacturing to US soil.

Lutnick said Trump's Saturday deadline for imposing 25 per cent tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico was meant to pressure the two countries to stop the flow of fentanyl into the US