Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has strongly condemned Donald Trump’s decision to impose sweeping tariffs on Canada, calling the move “a very dumb thing to do” and pledging a relentless fight to protect Canada’s economy. Trump’s new tariffs include a 25% levy on products coming from Canada and Mexico, as well as an increase in taxes on goods from China.
In retaliation, Trudeau announced that Canada would impose similar tariffs on US exports and warned that a trade war would have serious consequences for both countries. The Canadian prime minister emphasized that the goal is to have these tariffs lifted as soon as possible, stressing that such actions harm both nations.
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, threatened to increase US tariffs if Canada retaliates. He said, “When [Canada] puts on a Retaliatory Tariff on the U.S., our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount!”
Trudeau hit back, accusing Trump of trying to collapse the Canadian economy to make it easier for the US to annex Canada. He firmly declared, “That is never going to happen. We will never be the 51st state.” He urged that a fight with Canada would have no winners and vowed to stand firm in the face of the tariffs.
In a series of statements, Trudeau also rejected Trump’s reasoning for the tariffs, particularly the argument that they would help curb fentanyl trafficking. The Canadian prime minister pointed out that less than 1% of fentanyl intercepted at the US border comes from Canada, calling the new tariffs unjustified.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum echoed Trudeau’s sentiments, labeling Trump’s tariffs as lacking justification and announcing her country would introduce its own retaliatory measures.
Economists have warned that Trump’s tariffs could lead to higher prices for consumers in the US and abroad, with food imports from Mexico and oil and gas from Canada likely to see the quickest impact. John Rogers, an economics professor, noted that such actions could harm long-standing trade relationships and ultimately hurt everyone involved in a potential trade war.
In response to the tariffs, Canada has outlined a retaliatory strategy, including a 25% reciprocal tariff on $155 billion worth of US goods, with the first phase taking effect immediately. Canadian leaders have raised concerns that these measures could lead to significant job losses, particularly in sectors like auto manufacturing, where cross-border trade is crucial.
Canadian businesses have also criticized the tariffs, with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce warning of economic disaster and recession. Several Canadian provinces have pledged their own responses, including cutting electricity exports to the US and removing US-made liquor from shelves.
The trade tensions between the US, Canada, and Mexico have raised fears of a full-blown trade war, with all three nations standing to lose if these disputes continue.
