How American front pages covered the news about Trump unleashing tariffs on Canada

Various American newspapers featured front-page stories on U.S. President Donald Trump unleashing tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China on March 5, 2025.

News of U.S. President Donald Trump unleashing tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China dominated the front pages of some American newspapers Wednesday.

Here was how the papers covered the tariffs, a day after Trump’s moves launched the trade war.

Wall Street Journal:

“Stocks Slide as Trade War Escalates: Major indexes whipsawed after new U.S. tariffs spark countermoves”

The Wall Street Journal’s top front-page story focused on the impact on financial markets after Trump unleashed tariffs on America’s top three trading partners, and the retaliatory countermoves by Canada, Mexico and China, sparking a global trade war. The accompanying photo showed Trump with his arms outstretched while addressing Congress Tuesday night as he justified his actions on the border, budget and economy.

USA Today:

“Canada, China fire salvos in tariff war: Mexico also considers retaliation against US”

USA Today featured the tariffs story prominently as an article on the left column of its front page, with a bolded headline and small photo. Its story focused on Canada and China unleashing counter-tariffs Tuesday. Though the photo was small, it showed vehicles en route to a bridge leading to Canada. A bill proposing limits on new wind farm projects in Arizona was more prominently featured.

The New York Times:

“Canada and China hit back at Trump with own tariffs”; “Pressure Drives Pride in ‘Made in Mexico’”; “Economic Upheaval For U.S. Is Feared”

The New York Times went big with tariff stories and photos on its front page. It featured four photos showing strawberries, avocados, shoppers and a person working with lumber, with a caption highlighting how the tariffs will probably make products more expensive. Its main headline focused on Canada and China retaliating with their own tariffs, with one story underneath featuring the rise of Mexican nationalism as a result of the trade conflict, and a second story on the “economic upheaval” feared for consumers and businesses. The second story notably included quotes from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s speech.

Los Angeles Times:

“Trump tariffs end decades of free trade in North America: The sweeping taxes threaten the intricate U.S.-Mexico-Canada commercial colossus.”

Perhaps due to the proximity of Los Angeles to Mexico, the top story from the Los Angeles Times was reported from Mexico City and used a photo of trucks at the border in Tijuana. The story itself focused on the end of free trade in North America between Mexico, Canada and the United States, with a teaser inviting readers to read another story on the paper’s “Business” page about how tariffs will affect popular items in California.

The Washington Post:

“Wall Street fears tariffs could wreck economy: Trump’s trade war abroad creates climate of uncertainty at home”

The Washington Post featured a story and photo of Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday night more prominently than its story on the tariffs. Its story on tariffs focused on fears about their potentially damaging impact on stock markets and the U.S. economy. It teased to a related story elsewhere in the newspaper on China, Mexico and Canada retaliating with their own levies.

New York Post:

The New York Post appeared to have a positive slant on its news coverage. A photo of a smiling Trump dominated the paper’s entire front page with the headline “Reborn in the USA.” Rather than tariffs, the front page mentioned how Trump touted his “successes” during his speech to Congress. The front page did invite readers to look inside the paper where they can find six pages of coverage on Trump and his “barn-burning” speech, including Trump defending his tariff plans.

The Boston Globe:

“US faces quick retaliation after launching trade war”

Trump’s address to Congress was the top story for The Boston Globe, including a photo of Trump pointing and Vice-President JD Vance and Speaker Mike Johnson clapping Tuesday night. Its front-page tariff story focused on the counter-measures from Mexico, Canada and China, and included a graphic showing the top imports to Massachusetts. The Globe also teased a story inside the paper on Democrats' response to the tariffs.

Arizona Republic:

“China, Canada hit back at Trump tariffs: Business leaders worry about possible recession”

The tariffs were the most prominent story on the Arizona Republic’s front page, including a main photo of vehicles heading to the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ont. The paper used the USA Today tariffs story.

Houston Chronicle:

“Trade war draws quick retaliation: Mexico, Canada, China respond to Trump’s tariffs with new taxes, threats of their own”

The Houston Chronicle featured an Associated Press story on the trade war at the top of its front page, with a focus on the retaliation from affected countries. The story quoted Trudeau’s speech responding to the tariffs, and teased to a story inside the paper on how tariffs may affect energy in Texas.

Detroit Free Press:

“Tariffs a ‘disaster’ for the auto industry”; “Do tariffs, market tanking mean Trumpcession?”

The Detroit Free Press featured two stories about tariffs, without photos, on its front page. The top one focused on experts projecting the harm to the auto industry and the second story was a column about whether a “Trumpcession” will occur.

Readers were invited to see more inside the paper on Michigan Democrats condemning the tariffs and why the state is “so vulnerable” to the levies.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

“Targets of Trump’s tariffs quickly retaliate”

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette included one story exclusively on the tariffs and the trade war, but its main story featured Trump’s prime-time speech to Congress. Both stories were by The Associated Press.

Daily News:

“Tariffs, job cuts, Musk – just the beginning: Trump boasts, Dems balk at Congress address”

The New York Daily News featured a photo of Trump at the top of the front page with text inviting readers to read its two-page coverage on the president’s Congress address, tariffs, job cuts and billionaire entrepreneur and Trump adviser Elon Musk. A photo teasing a story about a 23-year-old Queens man who was allegedly killed by a drunken firefighter dominated the page.

Chicago Tribune:

“Trump vows to remain ‘swift and unrelenting’: GOP allies applaud pledge to continue disruptive policies

Rather than a tariffs story, the Chicago Tribune used an Associated Press article on Trump’s Congress address as the paper’s lead article.

San Francisco Chronicle:

The San Francisco Chronicle had no tariff stories on its front page. Instead, it featured stories on Oakland mayoral hopefuls, a Supreme Court ruling narrowing the Clean Water Act, a housing project and Vance’s views on Ukraine.