President Donald Trump said Sunday that Americans may feel economic "pain" from his tariffs on key trading partners, but argued it would be "worth the price" to secure US interests.

After weeks of uncertainty surrounding his threats, Trump on Saturday signed off on broad 25-percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada -- despite a regional free trade pact -- while hitting China with a 10-percent tariff in addition to levies already in place.

The announcement capped an extraordinary second week of Trump's new term, with the president facing the worst US aviation disaster in over a decade as his administration moved to drastically overhaul the government in actions decried by critics as illegal.

China, Mexico and Canada are the top three US trade partners and all have vowed to retaliate when the tariffs take effect Tuesday.

"Will there be some pain? Yes, maybe (and maybe not!)" Trump wrote Sunday morning in all-caps on his Truth Social media platform.

"But we will Make America Great Again, and it will all be worth the price that must be paid."

Analysts expect the trade war to slow US growth and increase prices, at least in the short term, something the president had resisted acknowledging after........

© International Business Times