US President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to impose a 100 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods entering the United States if Ottawa goes ahead with a trade deal with China, sharply escalating rhetoric against one of America’s closest allies. In a post on Truth Social, Trump referred to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as “Governor Carney” and warned that China would “eat Canada alive” if such a deal materialised. He accused Canada of potentially acting as a transit hub for Chinese goods into the US market.
Trump Warns Canada Over China Deal
“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.,” Trump wrote, reiterating his long-standing criticism of Ottawa’s trade policies. The remarks came days after Carney said he expects China to reduce tariffs on Canadian rapeseed, or canola, following meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the first visit by a Canadian leader to Beijing in eight years. Canada also announced it would allow 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into its market at a tariff rate of around six per cent, lifting a previous 100 per cent surtax. China, in turn, has agreed to grant visa-free travel to Canadians.
U-Turn, Rising Tensions With Carney
Trump’s latest warning marks a reversal from his earlier remarks, when he said the agreement was something Carney “should be doing” and described it as beneficial for Canada. The tariff threat comes amid broader tensions between the two leaders. Trump’s push to acquire Greenland has strained relations within NATO, while his comments at the World Economic Forum in Davos that “Canada lives because of the United States” drew sharp criticism. Following the China deal, Carney delivered a pointed speech in Davos warning against coercion by major powers, widely seen as an implicit rebuke of Trump. The US president later withdrew Carney’s invitation to join a proposed “Board of Peace” aimed at resolving global conflicts.
