President Donald Trump of the United States has intensified his war of words with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, signaling tense negotiations as Canada seeks to deescalate a growing trade dispute.
On Wednesday, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to share his account of a midday phone call with Trudeau.
“The call ended in a ‘somewhat’ friendly manner,” Trump said, without elaborating.
However, the Republican leader accused Trudeau of not doing enough to address fentanyl trafficking, an issue that experts say is minor along the Canadian border.
Trump also openly questioned Trudeau’s role in Canada’s upcoming federal election, attempting to cast doubt on his government’s legitimacy, as he has done with other world leaders.
Pressure Over Tariffs
The high-level negotiations come one day after Trump imposed 25-percent tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico, the US’s two largest trading partners and neighbors.
These tariffs had been looming for some time. Shortly after winning the presidency in November, Trump announced plans to use the 25-percent tariffs to pressure Canada and Mexico to tighten their borders. He even suggested Canada could avoid the tariffs by joining the US as its 51st state.
After taking office on January 20, Trump set a date in early February for the tariffs to take effect. However, both Canada and Mexico offered compromises to delay the tariffs, aiming to protect their economies.
Mexico deployed 10,000 National Guard troops to its border with the US, while Canada implemented measures like appointing a “fentanyl tsar” and establishing a task force to combat drug trafficking.
The delay expired on Tuesday, and the US tariffs took effect. Canada and Mexico responded with retaliatory tariffs, marking the start of a potential trade war.
“Canadians are reasonable, and we are polite. But we will not back down from a fight. Not when our country and the wellbeing of everyone in it are at stake,” Trudeau said on Tuesday.
He warned that a trade standoff would harm all three economies.
The steep import duties have already disrupted several industries. On Wednesday, major US automakers—Ford, Stellantis, and General Motors—successfully petitioned Trump for a one-month exemption from the tariffs.
Meanwhile, Canada is negotiating an end to the trade war while filing a complaint with the World Trade Organization. The country argues that the tariffs violate the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a free-trade deal signed during Trump’s first term.
Focus on Fentanyl
In his Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump highlighted fentanyl as the key issue in tariff negotiations.
“Justin Trudeau of Canada called me to ask what could be done about tariffs. I told him that many people have died from fentanyl that came through the borders of Canada and Mexico, and nothing has convinced me that it has stopped,” Trump wrote.
“He said that it’s gotten better, but I said, ‘That’s not good enough.’”
However, experts question the focus on fentanyl at the Canadian border, given the minimal amounts crossing into the US from the north.
Canada has called the tariffs “unjustified,” pointing out that US government data shows less than 1 percent of fentanyl seizures occur at the northern border. In fiscal year 2024, only about 19.5 kilograms (43 pounds) were intercepted there, out of a total of more than 9,934 kilograms (21,900 pounds) seized nationwide.
Trump blamed Trudeau for “Weak Border Policies” that are “responsible for the death of many people.” His administration defended the tariffs against accusations of inventing a problem to justify them.
At a news briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt rebuked a reporter who questioned Trump’s motives, stating, “You’re not the president. Frankly, I think it’s a little bit disrespectful to the families in this country who have lost loved ones at the hands of this deadly poison.”
Questioning Canada’s Elections
Canada’s Finance Minister, Dominic LeBlanc, told CBC’s The National that the government has been working to avoid tariffs and remains engaged with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
However, LeBlanc emphasized that no compromise would be accepted except the complete repeal of the tariffs, calling on the US to “return to respecting the free trade agreement.”
“We’re not interested in some sort of reduction of the tariffs,” LeBlanc said. “We want to ensure Canadian goods and services can enter the United States free of tariffs.”
Trump, however, has used the tariffs to pressure Canada to cede sovereignty and join the US. During his second term, Trump has expressed expansionist desires, including reclaiming the Panama Canal, as he reiterated in a joint speech to Congress on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, he referred to Trudeau as a “governor,” a title used for US state leaders. He also questioned the legitimacy of Trudeau’s power, writing conspiratorially about Canada’s upcoming federal elections.
“He was unable to tell me when the Canadian Election is taking place, which made me curious,” Trump wrote. “Like, what’s going on here? I then realized he is trying to use this issue to stay in power. Good luck, Justin!”
Trump has a history of questioning leaders’ legitimacy. In February, he called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator” for not holding wartime elections during Russia’s invasion.
Ironically, Trump’s efforts to undermine Trudeau may have backfired. After years of trailing Canada’s Conservative Party, Trudeau’s Liberal Party has seen a resurgence in popularity, which experts attribute partly to a backlash against Trump.
Trudeau is set to step down as Liberal Party leader on March 9, with the election of his successor. Canada must hold a federal election by October 20, but the Liberal Party may initiate a vote sooner.
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