President Trump on Monday escalated the trade battle against Canada after its prime minister, Mark Carney, said the two countries were at “war.”
“Canada has been ripping off the United States of America for years. Their ridiculously high tariffs on our Farmers and farm products has made life impossible for these great American Patriots, and has long created a 60 Billion Dollar Deficit between our two Countries. Not sustainable, and NOT ANYMORE!,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He added that on January 1, 2027, he will increase tariffs on all vehicles, automotive parts and steel to 50%. And, in what he likely deemed a great insult, he said Canada was no longer worthy of being the 51st state, something he has long teased.
“Canada will be treated like a State no longer! On Trade, and in other ways, also, they are among the worst Nations in the World to deal with. They feel entitled, and yet, WE DON’T NEED CANADA, THEY NEED US! They do 95% of their business with the U.S., with us, the exact opposite!,” Trump wrote.
On Saturday, the Trump administration imposed a steep 50% tariff on an array of Canadian goods — such as beer, cheese, and electronics — after the two countries failed to come to a trade deal.
Carney vowed that Canada would fight back, imposing its own retaliatory tariffs beginning on Sept. 8.
“We were attacked. You’re at war when you get attacked. We got attacked,” he said Saturday. “That’s fine. We’ve got the reserves. We’ve got the resilience. We’ve got the plan. We’ve got the focus. We will respond.”
Canada will target American steel, dairy, agricultural equipment, and pulp and paper, among items. Carney said his country’s retaliatory measures would be “dollar for dollar.”
