After Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remarked that Americans “are starting to grasp the reality” regarding the president-elect’s plan to impose taxes on Canadian imports, Donald Trump fired back.
Trump has vowed to enact an executive order on his inaugural day that would levy 25 percent tariffs on products coming from Canada and Mexico, allegedly as a reaction to issues related to drug trafficking and unauthorized border crossings.
At a Monday event, Trudeau conceded that the proposed tariffs would be “devastating” for Canada’s economy, but he also highlighted that they would have severe repercussions for the United States, as American businesses would bear the cost of these tariffs, ultimately passing it along to consumers.
“Americans rely on Canada for 65 percent of their crude oil,” Trudeau noted, adding that they also import “significant amounts” of electricity, natural gas, steel, aluminum, and agricultural goods. “These essentials will only become pricier.”
Trump seemed to take Trudeau’s remarks poorly.
“I enjoyed a delightful dinner recently with Governor Justin Trudeau from the Great State of Canada,” he posted on Truth Social, seemingly alluding to his earlier jest about Canada potentially becoming the 51st state during a recent gathering at Mar-a-Lago.
“I eagerly await our next meeting, so we can further explore our detailed discussions on Tariffs and Trade, which will yield truly remarkable outcomes for everyone involved!” Trump added.
On Monday, Trudeau pledged to respond if Trump moves forward with the suggested tariffs. However, with experts projecting that such actions could lead to a 30-cent spike in gas prices per gallon in the Midwest, the market may very well handle Trudeau’s response for him.
