Trump Threatens 100 Percent Tariffs on Canada over China Deal
Trump Threatens 100 Percent Tariffs on Canada over China Deal
President Donald Trump has threatened a 100 percent tariff on all Canadian exports to the United States. This warning, issued via Truth Social, follows reports of a new trade arrangement between Canada and China.
Trump labeled the potential deal a national security risk, vowing to prevent Canada from becoming a “backdoor” for Chinese goods entering the American market.
The tension stems from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s announcement of a “strategic partnership” with Beijing.
Under this plan, Canada would lower its 100 percent tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles to just 15 percent. In exchange, China agreed to lift restrictions on Canadian agricultural exports, a move that breaks the unified trade front previously established between Washington and Ottawa.
Trump directed personal criticism at Carney, mockingly calling him “Governor Carney” to suggest Canada is merely a U.S. administrative outpost.
He warned that Canada would be “sorely mistaken” if it attempted to act as a “drop-off port” for Chinese products. Trump further claimed that closer ties with Beijing would allow China to “eat Canada alive” and destroy its domestic business landscape.
This escalation follows a verbal clash at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where Carney described the current global order as being in a state of “rupture.”
Trump interpreted the speech as a direct attack on his “America First” agenda. Consequently, Trump claimed Canada only thrives because of U.S. support and revoked Carney’s invitation to join an international “Board of Peace.”
In response, Canadian officials clarified that they are not seeking a full free trade agreement with Beijing. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc stated that the negotiations were limited to resolving specific tariff disputes.
He reaffirmed that Canada’s primary focus remains its “remarkable partnership” with the U.S., which facilitates billions of dollars in daily cross-border trade.
Despite these clarifications, the threat of total tariffs has alarmed economists on both sides of the border. Canada is the top export market for 36 U.S. states and a primary supplier of American crude oil and electricity. Experts warn that such extreme trade barriers would cause massive inflation and disrupt critical supply chains in the automotive and energy sectors.
The dispute is further strained by Trump’s past suggestions that Canada should be absorbed as the “51st state” or that the U.S. should acquire Greenland.
These provocations have pushed bilateral relations to a historic low point. Carney has pushed back against these comments, asserting that Canada is a sovereign nation that refuses to submit to “autocratic tendencies.”
With the review of the USMCA trade deal approaching, the relationship remains at a dangerous crossroads. Canada has attempted to diversify its trade with the EU, Qatar, and China to reduce its 75 percent export reliance on the U.S. However, this high-stakes standoff highlights the inescapable economic gravity of the United States and the fragility of North American trade stability.
