Donald Trump pulled back from his trade war with Canada and Mexico on Thursday, temporarily delaying tariffs on many goods from the two countries once again.

Two days after imposing sweeping tariffs on all imports from his country’s closest trading partners, the US president announced that duties on a wide range of products would be shelved until April.

There are “no delays at all”, he told reporters in the Oval Office, signing an order that postponed the tariffs.

Trump has already softened the attack on Canada and Mexico, granting carmakers a one-month reprieve after they warned of widespread disruption. Top retail CEOs have also been bracing customers for significant price increases in grocery stores within days.