Trump says Trudeau destroyed Canada with 'radical', 'Marxist policies'
4 Min Read
US President Donald Trump once again accuses Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of having destroyed his country with "radical left" policies.
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President Donald Trump responds to reporters as he arrives at the White House after speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, CPAC, on Saturday, February 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP)
US President Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling him “a loser” and accusing him of ruining Canada with “radical left” policies.
The latest exchange follows Trump’s recent threats to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian goods and his suggestion that Canada would be better off as “the 51st state” of the US.
The latest scuffle came after a US-Canada hockey game in Boston, where Canadian fans booed the US national anthem. Canada won the game 3-2 in overtime, prompting Trudeau to mock Trump on social media.
“You can’t take our country – and you can’t take our game,” the Canadian leader wrote on X.
Trump responded the next day in an interview with Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade. “Justin’s a loser. Always has been,” Trump said. “He’s destroyed Canada with radical left, Marxist policies.”
While Trump said the US has a “good relationship” with Canada, he claimed that Trudeau’s leadership has been a disaster. “He’s too far radical left, he’s killing Canada. Canada is doing terribly,” Trump asserted, predicting Trudeau would lose the next federal election if he runs. “Looks like he’s not going to run. That’s a smart move because he wouldn’t have a chance of winning.”
Trudeau’s approval rating has plummeted from 60% when he first took office in 2015 to 22% in December 2024. Despite speculation over his future, Trudeau recently announced he would step down as Liberal Party leader but confirmed his intention to seek re-election.
Trump agreed earlier in February to delay new tariffs on Canada for 30 days to allow more time for negotiations. He has repeatedly suggested that Canada would benefit economically from becoming part of the US—an idea that Ottawa has firmly rejected.
“Canada will never be the 51st state,” Trudeau stated.
Concerns over possibility of tariffs
Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly has voiced deep concerns over the possibility of US-imposed tariffs on Canadian goods, warning that such measures could have severe consequences for Canada's economy. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Joly described the potential tariffs as an "existential threat" to Canada, despite Washington's decision to temporarily pause their implementation.
"There is an interdependence between the US and Canada but when we hear 25% tariffs, it's an existential threat, because this would account on hundreds of thousands of jobs in Canada being lost and higher unemployment rate coming from our best friend and best ally," Joly stated.
Joly touched on Canada's heavy dependence on trade with the US, explaining that such tariffs would not only devastate Canadian industries but also lead to significant job losses. Economic analysts estimate that hundreds of thousands of jobs could be affected, particularly in sectors that rely heavily on exports to the US.
While the Trump administration has delayed the tariffs, Joly warned that the pause does not guarantee a reversal, and Canada must prepare for potential long-term economic consequences.
As concerns mount, Ottawa has not remained idle. In response to Washington's move, Canada announced a CA$155 billion tariff package targeting US imports. The first phase, effective February 4, imposed 25% tariffs on CA$30 billion worth of US goods, with an additional CA$125 billion in retaliatory tariffs planned pending public consultation.
