WASHINGTON (Kyodo) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday paused until April 2 his administration's tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico that are covered by a North American free trade pact, the latest move in an unpredictable sequence that has been affecting companies and financial markets around the world.

Trump's decision came only two days after his 25 percent tariffs on goods imported from the two countries took effect, and followed his talks earlier in the day with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum.

"I did this as an accommodation, and out of respect for" the Mexican leader, Trump said on his Truth Social platform in reference to tariffs on Mexico, prior to signing an executive action to grant Canada the same treatment.

"Our relationship has been a very good one, and we are working hard, together, on the Border, both in terms of stopping Illegal Aliens from entering the United States and, likewise, stopping Fentanyl," Trump said of Sheinbaum after their conversation.

The delay will be applied to goods that fall under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the three-way free trade accord that entered into force in 2020 during Trump's first presidency.

On Wednesday, similarly, Trump granted automakers a one-month reprieve from his steep new tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, as long as their vehicles meet the content rules of the trade accord, which include requiring 75 percent of components to be manufactured in Canada, Mexico or the United States.

Following an earlier month-long delay from his initial plan, Trump rolled out the new tariffs while accusing the two North American neighbors, as well as China, of not doing enough to stop the smuggling of illegal drugs such as fentanyl into the United States.

His additional tariff on Chinese imports was doubled Tuesday to 20 percent, along with the imposition of the levies targeting Canada and Mexico.

Trump has asserted that tariffs on foreign imports will make the U.S. economy stronger and create more jobs for American workers. He has also said that relying on tariffs will be the fastest way to slash U.S. trade deficits.

Canada, Mexico and China, each of which is planning or has already unleashed countermeasures to Trump's tariffs, are the three largest trading partners of the United States, and any disruptions in the flow of goods, materials and energy would have a tremendous impact on consumers.

Supply chains for U.S. companies are deeply integrated with the two North American neighbors in particular.

As Trump's tariffs against Mexico went into effect, American households were bracing for immediate price hikes on groceries, especially fresh produce such as tomatoes and avocados.

Apparently reflecting companies' front-loading of imports before Trump's tariffs, U.S. official data released Thursday showed that the country's trade deficit in goods and services hit a record in January, up 34 percent from the previous month to $131 billion.

Among a range of tariff plans announced since his nonconsecutive second term started on Jan. 20, Trump has repeatedly said that broader reciprocal levies, possibly affecting all U.S. trading partners, will be introduced on April 2.