The United States has reached a deal to lift tariffs on aluminum and steel from Canada and Mexico.

The decision removes an obstacle for congressional approval of President Donald Trump's revision of the North American Free Trade Agreement, now called the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. People familiar with the situation told The Washington Post that the tariffs will be lifted within 48 hours.

The recent deal calls for Canada and Mexico to establish stricter monitoring and enforcement guidelines to prevent steel from China from being shipped to the U.S. through the countries' territories.

The leaders of the countries signed off on the USMCA earlier this year. However, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, said he would not approve it unless the president eliminated the steel and aluminum tariffs.

The Post reported that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with Trump on Friday, and the leaders discussed the tariffs, as well as the USMCA. While discussing the elimination of the tariffs, people familiar with the situation told the Post that U.S. officials attempted to get Canada and Mexico to adopt quotas on steel and aluminum shipments to the U.S., but the countries rejected that demand.

Trump imposed the tariffs on steel and aluminum in March 2018 on major trade partners, including the European Union and Japan, citing the abundance of Chinese goods being sold in the U.S. and putting the country's businesses at risk. Tariffs on Japan and the EU will remain in place.

Trump also announced on Friday that the administration will postpone proposed auto tariffs on the EU and Japan for 180 days.

Friday's announcement comes after weeks of trade tensions with China, during which Trump increased tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports and the country retaliated by placing tariffs on $60 billion of American imports.

