Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau walks via the foyer of the Delta Resort by Marriott, on Friday, in West Palm Seaside, Fla.
Carolyn Kaster/AP
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Carolyn Kaster/AP
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau flew to Florida on Friday to have dinner with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago membership after Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian merchandise.
Trump threatened to impose tariffs on merchandise from Canada and Mexico if they do not cease what he referred to as the stream of medication and migrants throughout their borders. He mentioned he would impose a 25% tax on all merchandise coming into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one in every of his first government orders.
An individual conversant in the small print referred to as it a “positive wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours.” The official, who was not approved to talk publicly and spoke to The Related Press on situation of anonymity, mentioned matters included commerce, border safety, fentanyl, protection, Ukraine, NATO, China and pipelines, in addition to the the Group of Seven assembly in Canada subsequent yr.
Though Trump as soon as referred to as Trudeau “weak” and “dishonest” throughout his first time period, ties between the 2 nations have remained among the many closest on the planet. Trudeau is the primary chief from the G7 nations to go to Trump because the Nov. 4 election.
Becoming a member of Trump and Trudeau at dinner have been Howard Lutnick, Trump’s nominee for commerce secretary, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s decide to guide the Inside Division, Mike Waltz, Trump’s option to be his nationwide safety adviser, and the three males’s wives.
Additionally on the dinner have been David McCormick, simply elected U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, and his spouse, Dina Powell, a former deputy nationwide safety adviser below Trump, in addition to Canadian Public Security Minister Dominic LeBlanc, whose duties embrace border safety, and Katie Telford, Trudeau’s chief of workers.
McCormick posted a photograph on X of the group seated at a spherical desk on the patio of Mar-a-Lago. On the desk behind the president-elect a boy will be seen mugging for the digicam.
Trump’s transition didn’t reply to questions on what they’d mentioned or whether or not the dialog alleviated Trump’s considerations concerning the border.
A smiling Trudeau declined remark upon returning to his West Palm Seaside lodge late Friday.
Trudeau mentioned earlier Friday that he would resolve the tariffs difficulty by speaking to Trump. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum mentioned Thursday after talking with Trump that she is assured a tariff warfare with the US will probably be averted.
“We’re going to work together to meet some of the concerns,” Trudeau informed reporters in Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada. “But ultimately it is through lots of real constructive conversations with President Trump that I am going to have, that will keep us moving forward on the right track for all Canadians.”
Trudeau mentioned Trump obtained elected as a result of he promised to deliver down the price of groceries however now he is speaking about including 25% to the price of every kind of merchandise together with potatoes from Prince Edward Island.
“It is important to understand that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” Trudeau mentioned.
“Our responsibility is to point out that he would not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, but he would actually be raising prices for Americans citizens as well and hurting American industry and business,” he added.
These tariffs may basically blow up the North American commerce pact that Trump’s crew negotiated throughout his preliminary time period. Trudeau famous they have been in a position to efficiently re-negotiate the deal, which he calls a “win win” for each nations.
“We can work together as we did previously,” Trudeau mentioned.
Trump made the tariff menace Monday whereas railing towards an inflow of unlawful migrants, though the numbers on the Canadian border pale compared to the southern border.
The U.S. Border Patrol made 56,530 arrests on the Mexican border in October alone — and 23,721 arrests on the Canadian one between October 2023 and September 2024.
Trump additionally railed about fentanyl from Mexico and Canada, though seizures from the Canadian border are few compared to the Mexican border. U.S. customs brokers seized 43 kilos of fentanyl on the Canadian border final fiscal yr, in contrast with 21,100 kilos on the Mexican border.
Canadian officers say lumping Canada in with Mexico is unfair however say they’re able to make new investments in border safety.
Trudeau referred to as Trump after he made his social media posts on the border.
When Trump imposed greater tariffs throughout his first time period in workplace, different nations responded with retaliatory tariffs of their very own. Canada, for example, introduced billions of latest duties in 2018 towards the U.S. in a tit-for-tat response to new taxes on Canadian metal and aluminum.
Canada is already analyzing attainable retaliatory tariffs on sure objects from the U.S. ought to Trump comply with via on his menace to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian merchandise, a senior official informed The Related Press this week.
A authorities official mentioned Canada is making ready for each eventuality and has began fascinated about what objects to focus on with tariffs in retaliation. The official harassed no resolution has been made. The individual spoke on situation of anonymity as they weren’t approved to talk publicly.
Canada is the highest export vacation spot for 36 U.S. states. Practically $3.6 billion Canadian (US$2.7 billion) value of products and companies cross the border every day.
About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, and 85% of U.S. electrical energy imports are from Canada.
Canada can be the biggest international provider of metal, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 essential minerals and metals that the Pentagon is raring for and investing in for nationwide safety.
Canada is among the most trade-dependent nations on the planet, and 77% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S.
“Canada has reason to fear because Trump is impulsive, often influenced by the last thing he sees on Fox News,” mentioned Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus on the College of Toronto. “He can leverage that by catering to what he thinks will sound and look good to the public rather than to what happens or will happen.”
