Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau slammed the Trump administration’s new 25% tariffs Tuesday, calling the measures “very dumb” and vowing that his country “will not back down from a fight.”
Trudeau previously announced 25% retaliatory tariffs on American goods in response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs that went into effect on Canadian imports.
“So today the United States launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their closest friend. At the same time, they are talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing Vladimir Putin, a lying, murderous dictator. Make that make sense,” Trudeau told reporters.
“Canadians are reasonable, and we are polite, but we will not back down from a fight, not when our country and the wellbeing of everyone in it is at stake,” he continued.
TRUDEAU SAYS CANADA WILL ISSUE 25% TARIFFS ON $155 BILLION OF AMERICAN GOODS
“I want to speak directly to one specific American, Donald. In the over eight years you and I have worked together, we’ve done big things,” Trudeau also said. “And now we should be working together to ensure even greater prosperity for North Americans in a very uncertain and challenging world. Now, it’s not in my habit to agree with the Wall Street Journal. But Donald, they point out that even though you’re a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do. We — two friends fighting — is exactly what our opponents around the world want to see.”
Trump signed an executive order authorizing an additional 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports. Energy imported from Canada, including oil, natural gas and electricity, would be taxed at an additional 10%.
The retaliatory tariffs Canada is imposing on $155 billion of U.S. goods went into effect this morning. Canada said it will start with tariffs on $30 billion worth of American goods, followed by tariffs on $125 billion of American products in 21 days.
“Our tariffs will remain in place until the U.S. tariffs are withdrawn and not a moment sooner,” Trudeau said.
MEXICO’S PRESIDENT ON TRUMP TARIFFS: ‘NOBODY WINS’
The Canadian prime minister accused the Trump administration of choosing to sabotage their own agenda that was supposed to usher in a new ‘golden age’ for the United States.”
“The legal pretext your government is using to bring in these tariffs is that Canada apparently is unwilling to help in the fight against illegal fentanyl. Well, that is totally false,” Trudeau also said.
Trudeau told reporters that he expects to speak with Trump “in the days to come” about the tariffs.
“What he wants is to see a total collapse of the Canadian economy. Because that’ll make it easier to annex us… Now, first of all, that’s never going to happen. We will never be the 51st state. But yeah, he can do damage to the Canadian economy. And he’s started this morning,” Trudeau concluded. “But he is rapidly going to find out as American families are going to find out that it’s going to hurt people on both sides of the border.”
FOX Business’ Landon Mion contributed to this report.
