US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that Canada is “one of the nastiest countries to deal with” as trade tensions between the two historically friendly countries continue to escalate. The trade war started with the US imposing tariffs on Canada, which in turn slapped retaliatory tariffs, with Canadians even boycotting US products.
Speaking to Fox News, answering why he is tougher with Canada than other big adversaries, he said, "I deal with every country, indirectly or directly. One of the nastiest countries to deal with is Canada”.
He continued: "Canada was meant to be the 51st state because we subsidise Canada by $200 billion a year," exaggerating the estimate of the US trade deficit with Canada, which is actually placed at $63.3 billion for 2024, by the U.S. Trade Representative's Office.
Apart from the ongoing trade war, Trump has continuously referred to Canada as the 51st state and even called Canada's former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, “Governor Trudeau”.
Speaking about the USA's reliance on Canadian imports, Trump said, "We don't need their lumber, we don't need their energy, we don't need anything. We certainly don't want their automobiles," he said.
"We don't need their lumber, we don't need their energy, we don't need anything. We certainly don't want their automobiles," he said.
When asked by Fox News host Laura Ingraham on why Trump was “tougher” on Canada than their other “adversaries”, he said, "Only because it's meant to be our 51st state."
Recently, Mark Carney, an economist and former governor of the Bank of England replaced Trudeau and promised to “stand up to” Trump. He also said that the two countries will “sit down and have a conversation about our broader partnership with the United States” only after Trump stops making “disrespectful” comments about Canada's sovereignty.
Trump also answered if his policies will change the political landscape of Canada which is expecting its federal elections by October, saying, it's easier to deal with the ruling Liberals than the opposition Conservatives. “I don't care. I think it's easier to deal, actually, with a Liberal and maybe they're going to win, but I don't really care. It doesn't matter to me at all,” he said.
