WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau flew to Florida on Friday to have dinner with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago membership after Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian merchandise.
Trump threatened to impose tariffs on merchandise from Canada and Mexico in the event that they don’t cease what he known as the movement of medicine and migrants throughout the borders. He stated he would impose a 25% tax on all merchandise entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one in all his first government orders.
Though Trump as soon as known as Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest” throughout his first time period, ties between the 2 international locations have remained among the many closest on the planet. Trudeau is the primary chief from the Group of Seven international locations to go to Trump because the Nov. 4 election.
Becoming a member of Trump and Trudeau at dinner had been Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s decide to guide the Inside Division, Mike Waltz, Trump’s option to be his nationwide safety adviser, and the three males’s wives, in keeping with an individual aware of the dinner plans who was not approved to talk publicly and did so on situation of anonymity.
Additionally on the dinner, the individual stated, had been David McCormick, simply elected U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, and his spouse Dina Powell, a former deputy nationwide safety adviser below Trump, in addition to Canadian Public Security Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Katie Telford, Trudeau’s chief of workers.
A smiling Trudeau declined remark upon returning to his West Palm Seashore resort late Friday.
Trudeau stated earlier Friday that he would resolve the tariffs problem by speaking to Trump. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated Thursday after talking with Trump that she is assured a tariff war with the United States can be averted.
“We’re going to work collectively to fulfill a few of the issues,” Trudeau instructed reporters in Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. “However finally it’s by means of numerous actual constructive conversations with President Trump that I’m going to have, that can hold us transferring ahead heading in the right direction for all Canadians.”
Trudeau stated Trump bought elected as a result of he promised to carry down the price of groceries however now he’s speaking about including 25% to the price of every kind of merchandise together with potatoes from Prince Edward Island.
“You will need to perceive that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no query about it,” Trudeau stated.
“Our duty is to level out that he wouldn’t simply be harming Canadians, who work so effectively with the US, however he would really be elevating costs for People residents as effectively and hurting American trade and enterprise,” he added.
These tariffs might basically blow up the North American commerce pact that Trump’s crew negotiated throughout his preliminary time period. Trudeau famous they had been in a position to efficiently re-negotiate the deal, which he calls a “win win” for each international locations.
“We are able to work collectively as we did beforehand,” Trudeau stated.
Trump made the tariff risk Monday whereas railing in opposition to an inflow of unlawful migrants, despite the fact that the numbers on the Canadian border pale compared to the southern border.
The U.S. Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests on the Mexican border in October alone — and 23,721 arrests on the Canadian one between October 2023 and September 2024.
Trump additionally railed about fentanyl from Mexico and Canada, despite the fact that seizures from the Canadian border are few compared to the Mexican border. U.S. customs brokers seized 43 kilos of fentanyl on the Canadian border final fiscal 12 months, in contrast with 21,100 kilos on the Mexican border.
Canadian officers say lumping Canada in with Mexico is unfair however say they’re able to make new investments in border safety.
Trudeau known as Trump after he made his social media posts on the border.
When Trump imposed larger tariffs throughout his first time period in workplace, different international locations responded with retaliatory tariffs of their very own. Canada, as an illustration, introduced billions of new duties in 2018 in opposition to the U.S. in a tit-for-tat response to new taxes on Canadian metal and aluminum.
Canada is already examining possible retaliatory tariffs on sure objects from the U.S. ought to Trump comply with by means of on his risk to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian merchandise, a senior official instructed The Related Press this week.
A authorities official stated Canada is making ready for each eventuality and has began desirous about what objects to focus on with tariffs in retaliation. The official harassed no resolution has been made. The individual spoke on situation of anonymity as they weren’t approved to talk publicly.
Canada is the highest export vacation spot for 36 U.S. states. Practically $3.6 billion Canadian (US$2.7 billion) price of products and providers cross the border every day.
About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electrical energy imports are from Canada.
Canada can also be the most important international provider of metal, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 vital minerals and metals that the Pentagon is raring for and investing in for nationwide safety.
Canada is without doubt one of the most trade-dependent international locations on the planet, and 77% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S.
“Canada has purpose to worry as a result of Trump is impulsive, usually influenced by the very last thing he sees on Fox Information,” stated Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus on the College of Toronto. “He can leverage that by catering to what he thinks will sound and look good to the general public somewhat than to what occurs or will occur.”
___
Gillies reported from Toronto.
