Trump says tariff ‘pain’ will be ‘worth the price’
Palm Beach, United States
02 January,2025
Cars wait in line to enter the United States at a border crossing at the Canada-US border in Blackpool, Quebec, Canada, on February 2, 2025. Canada will hit back at US tariffs with 25 percent levies of its own on select American goods, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on February 1. “Canada will be responding to the US trade action with 25 percent tariffs against Can$155 billion ($106 billion) worth of American goods,” he said in a dramatic tone as he warned of a fracture in longstanding Canada-US ties. (Photo by ANDREJ IVANOV / AFP)
Cars wait in line to enter the United States at a border crossing at the Canada-US border in Blackpool, Quebec, Canada, on February 2, 2025. Canada will hit back at US tariffs with 25 percent levies of its own on select American goods, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on February 1. “Canada will be responding to the US trade action with 25 percent tariffs against Can$155 billion ($106 billion) worth of American goods,” he said in a dramatic tone as he warned of a fracture in longstanding Canada-US ties. (Photo by ANDREJ IVANOV / AFP)
– ’51st state’ –
In a separate social media post, Trump took particular aim at Canada, repeating his call for America’s northern neighbor to become a US state.
Claiming the United States pays “hundreds of billions of dollars to SUBSIDIZE Canada,” Trump said that “without this massive subsidy, Canada ceases to exist as a viable Country.”
“Therefore, Canada should become our Cherished 51st State,” he said, reiterating the expansionist threat against one of his country’s closest allies.
The US Census Bureau says the 2024 trade deficit in goods with Canada was only $55 billion.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed Saturday to hit back with 25 percent levies on select American goods worth Can$155 billion (US$106.6 billion), with a first round on Tuesday followed by a second one in three weeks.
Leaders of several Canadian provinces have already announced retaliatory actions as well, such as the immediate halt of US liquor purchases.
The White House has not publicly announced what specific actions the countries could take to lift the tariffs.
“It’s hard to know what more we can do, but we’re obviously open to any other suggestions that come our way,” Canada’s ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman told ABC News on Sunday.
Trudeau, who flew to Florida to meet with Trump shortly after the November US election, said his attempts to speak again with Trump since his January 20 inauguration have been to no avail.
– Federal overhaul –
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum meanwhile said she had directed her economy minister to “implement Plan B,” which includes yet-unspecified “tariff and non-tariff measures.”
The European Union, which Trump has also vowed to hit with tariffs, said Sunday it would “respond firmly.”
The drastic trade actions follow similarly sharp efforts by Trump’s administration to quickly overhaul the federal government in his first two weeks.
Major actions have included the attempted dismissal of swaths of officials and a chaotic funding freeze that was halted in court and later walked back by the White House.
Trump’s close ally Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest person, and his so-called Department of Government Efficiency were also pursuing efforts that were not fully clear, including reported efforts to probe federal payment and e-mail systems.
The tumult in the federal government coincided with the collision of an army helicopter and an airliner that killed 67 people in the US capital, the most deadly commercial airline crash since 2009.
Trump, addressing the crash on Thursday, pointed the finger at diversity programs.
des/bbk
© Agence France-Presse
