US President Donald Trump Accuses Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Using Tariffs to Extend His Time in Office
United States President Donald Trump has repeated unfounded claims that outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is attempting to use U.S. tariffs against Canada to prolong his time in office, as tensions between the two countries escalate.
In a social media post on Thursday, Trump claimed that Trudeau "is using the Tariff problem, which he has largely caused, in order to run again for Prime Minister." He added, "So much fun to watch!"
This statement followed a similar post on Trump’s Truth Social platform on Wednesday, where he accused Trudeau of leveraging trade tensions as a means "to stay in power." Trump wrote, "He was unable to tell me when the Canadian Election is taking place, which made me curious, like, what’s going on here? I then realized he is trying to use this issue to stay in power. Good luck Justin!"
The tensions between the two leaders intensified after Trump threatened last year to impose significant tariffs on Canadian goods if Trudeau’s government did not take stronger action to address irregular migration and drug trafficking across the U.S.-Canada border. This week, the Trump administration implemented its plans, imposing 25% tariffs on most Canadian imports and 10% levies on oil and gas.
In response, Canada announced it would impose 25% tariffs on $106 billion (155 billion Canadian dollars) worth of U.S. goods, with $21 billion (30 billion Canadian dollars) of these tariffs taking immediate effect on Tuesday. Trudeau criticized the U.S. measures, calling them "a very dumb thing to do" and an unjustified "trade war against Canada."
Trudeau, who has been Canada’s prime minister since 2015, is set to step down as leader of the governing Liberal Party after the party selects its next leader on Sunday. The new leader is expected to assume the role of prime minister after a brief transition period.
During a news conference on Thursday, Trudeau dismissed the idea of staying on as prime minister in a caretaker role to manage the uncertainty surrounding the U.S. tariffs, stating, "No. I will not be." He added, "I look forward to a transition to my duly elected successor in the coming days or week."
Canadian experts have criticized Trump’s remarks, arguing they demonstrate a lack of understanding of Canada’s political system. Stewart Prest, a political science professor at the University of British Columbia, described Trump’s comments as "a reckless disregard for the Canadian democratic system." He clarified on social media that "Trudeau will step aside after the Liberal leadership race."
Under Canadian electoral rules, the next federal election must be held by October 20, but the governing Liberal Party can trigger an election earlier. An election could also be called if opposition parties pass a vote of no confidence in Parliament, which is set to resume on March 24.
"Parliamentary democracy is by design more flexible than the American presidential system, with its fixed election dates," Prest explained. "That’s deliberate, as it makes it much easier to get rid of a leader who is either unfit or unpopular – or both."
Speculation has arisen that the Liberals may call an election shortly after selecting their new leader to capitalize on a recent increase in public support. Earlier this year, the Liberals were trailing the opposition Conservatives by as much as 26 percentage points. However, Trudeau’s decision to resign, the leadership race, and Trump’s threats against Canada have helped the party regain momentum in the polls.
As of now, no election date has been formally set.
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