Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the new 25% tariffs imposed on his country by the Trump administration are “very stupid.” (Credit: Reuters)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday denounced the Trump administration’s new 25% tariff, calling the measure “very stupid” and vowed that his country would not “retreat from the fight.”
Trudeau previously announced a 25% retaliatory tariff on American goods in response to President Donald Trump’s tariffs enacted on Canadian imports. Trump replied Tuesday, “Explaining retaliatory tariffs on the United States will soon increase our mutual tariffs as well!”
“So today the US has launched a trade war with their closest partner and closest friend, Canada. At the same time, they are talking about working actively with Russia and lying and easing murderous dictator Vladimir Putin.
“Canadians are rational and we are polite, but we will not retreat from the battle, not when the happiness of our country and everyone in it is at stake,” he continued.
Trudeau says Canada will issue 25% tariffs on $155 billion in American products
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the Trump administration’s new tariffs on Tuesday, March 4th. (Thierry Monasse / Getty Images / Getty Images)
“I want to talk directly to certain Americans. Donald, over the eight years you and I worked together, we’ve done a lot of stuff,” Trudeau said. “And now we should work together to ensure even greater prosperity for North Americans in a very uncertain and challenging world. Now it’s not my habit to agree to the Wall Street Journal. But Donald says you’re a very clever person, and this is very stupid.
Trump has signed an executive order allowing an additional 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on Chinese imports. Energy imported from Canada, including oil, natural gas and electricity, is taxed at an additional 10%.
Canada’s retaliatory tariffs are imposed on the $155 billion US goods coming into effect this morning. Canada said tariffs on US goods worth $30 billion will continue in 21 days, followed by tariffs on US goods worth $125 billion.
“Our customs duties will remain in place to a lesser extent, to the extent that US customs will be withdrawn,” Trudeau said.
Mexican president on Trump’s tariffs: “No one wins”
President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be attending the NATO summit in Watford, England in December 2019. Trudeau on Tuesday called Trump’s new tariffs on Canada “very stupid.” (Dunkitwood/Getty Images/Getty Images)
The Canadian Prime Minister accused the Trump administration of choosing to hamper their own agenda, which is supposed to lead a new “golden age” for the United States.
“The legal pretext your government uses to bring these tariffs doesn’t seem to want to help Canada fight illegal fentanyl. Well, that’s totally wrong,” Trudeau said.
Trudeau told reporters he hopes to talk to Trump “in the future” about tariffs.
Mexican President Claudia Sinbaum will hold a press conference on March 4th to announce the response to US tariffs at the National Palace in Mexico City. (Reuters/Racel Kuna/Reuters)
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“What he wants is to see the complete collapse of the Canadian economy, because it makes it easier to annex us… Now, that will never happen. We will not be the 51st state. But yeah, he can do damage to the Canadian economy. “But he’s going to know quickly, as he knows that American families hurt people on both sides of the border.”
Landon Mion from Fox Business contributed to this report.
