Washington DC - President Donald Trump said Friday that he could impose reciprocal tariffs on Canadian dairy and lumber within days – a move set to fuel tensions with Ottawa just days after an earlier wave of levies.

Since taking office in January, Trump has unleashed a series of tariffs and threats targeting US allies and adversaries, including duties of up to 25% on imports from Canada and Mexico.

On Thursday, he provided the vital trading partners temporary reprieve, exempting goods coming in from both countries under a North American trade pact.

But he has vowed broader "reciprocal tariffs" as soon as April 2, aimed at remedying practices that Washington deems unfair.

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On Friday, Trump signaled that such levies could come as soon as Friday: "Canada has been ripping us off for years on tariffs for lumber and for dairy products."

"They'll be met with the exact same tariff unless they drop it, and that's what reciprocal means," the president added.

"We may do it as early as today, or we'll wait till Monday or Tuesday," he said of the two sectors which have long been affected by trade disputes between the neighbors.

Economists warn that blanket levies could weigh on US growth and raise inflation, adding that they also weigh on business and consumer sentiment.

But Trump kept the pressure up on Canada on Friday: "It's not fair. Never has been fair, and they've treated our farmers badly."