Trump's order says that the report on trade with Canada is not due until April 1. But the president has not backed away from his tariff threat and has repeatedly suggested the duties would come on Feb. 1.

Canada has pledged to spend $1bn on border security, and has recently deployed newly leased Black Hawk patrol helicopters, extra dogs and 60 drones at the border partly in response to Trump’s demands — as well as concerns about weapons and undocumented migrants arriving from the US.