President Trump on Saturday threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canada if it proceeds with a trade deal with China. In a social media post, he warned that if Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney “thinks he is going to make Canada a ‘Drop Off Port’ for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken.” He added, “If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S.A.”
The threat follows Canada’s recent negotiations with China to lower tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for reduced import taxes on Canadian farm products. Trump had previously praised that move, saying it was what Carney “should be doing and it’s a good thing for him to sign a trade deal,” highlighting a sharp reversal in tone.
Tensions between the two leaders have escalated beyond trade. While speaking in Davos, Trump claimed that “Canada lives because of the United States,” a remark Carney countered by saying his country can show the world it does not need to “bend toward autocratic tendencies.” Shortly afterward, Trump revoked Carney’s invitation to join his proposed Board of Peace, announcing that it “is withdrawing its invitation to you.”
Trump has also repeatedly questioned Canada’s sovereignty, mocking Carney by calling him “Governor Carney” and sharing altered images suggesting Canada as part of the U.S. Despite the rhetoric, Canada remains partly shielded from the harshest tariffs under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, which is set for review this year.