Trudeau in Florida to defuse Trump tariff standoff
4 Min Read
The Canadian Prime Minister senses the danger of Donald Trump's threats as he seems to be rushing to ensure the tariffs do not materialize.
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Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau walks through the lobby of the Delta Hotel by Marriott on November 30, 2024. (AP)
According to reports, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau headed to Florida on Friday for a vital meeting with US President-elect Donald Trump in response to a threat to slap a 25% tax on Canadian exports.
CBC News reported that Trudeau's jet landed at Palm Beach International Airport, and he is scheduled to dine with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
Canada's Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc is reportedly accompanying Trudeau on the visit.
Sensing the gravity of Trump's tariff threats, Trudeau said at a press conference earlier Friday that there was no question "Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out."
Trudeau contended that it was Canada's responsibility to show Trump this would also harm Canadians who "work so well with the United States," as well as harming American citizens and their industry and businesses.
Between January and September 2023, the US imported nearly $435 billion in Canadian goods, demonstrating the potential economic impact of the proposed taxes.
Trump vows 25% tariffs on Mexico, Canada and deeper tariffs on China
Trudeau's visit to Trump comes after the president-elect announced an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on all goods imported from Mexico and Canada if he is re-elected president. He also intends to impose additional tariffs on China, claiming their exports to the US will be targeted until China (alongside Mexico) addresses issues such as fentanyl trafficking and illegal immigration.
Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform, “On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders."
Trump said the tariffs would remain in place until the two countries clamp down on drugs, particularly fentanyl, and migrants crossing the border illegally.
He announced in a follow-up post that the US "will be charging China an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America."
“I have had many talks with China about the massive amounts of drugs, in particular, Fentanyl, being sent into the United States – But to no avail … Until such time as they stop, we will be charging China an additional 10% Tariff, above any additional Tariffs, on all of their many products coming into the United States of America,” he said.
The incoming president seems to be on a tariffs spree as he also threatened to slap 100% tariffs on BRICS countries if they did not abandon plans to move towards de-dollarization.
Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday, "The idea that the BRICS Countries are trying to move away from the Dollar while we stand by and watch is OVER. We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy,"
Trump warned that any nation seeking to replace the US dollar would "wave goodbye to America."
In recent years, BRICS countries have increased de-dollarization efforts with the goal of using their own currencies to weaken the dollar's monopoly in global commerce.
