The news: President Donald Trump paused tariffs on most Canadian and Mexican imports until April 2, giving retailers and consumers yet another reprieve—albeit one that will do little to quell concerns about tariffs’ potential to upend the US economy.

• The delay will apply to all products covered under the USMCA free trade treaty, and follows a one-month tariff exemption granted to the auto industry.
• But tariffs are still on the table unless Mexico and Canada can demonstrate significant progress in their efforts to curb illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

Nothing’s certain except uncertainty: The sudden reprieve underscores the sheer impossibility of planning for tariffs—and other unpredictable Trump administration plans, like mass deportations and government layoffs. The lack of clarity leaves retailers unable to assess the impact of tariffs on their bottom lines, how to mitigate them, and the implications they might have for consumer confidence and spending.