Trump Criticizes Canada’s Trade Policies Amid New 25% Tariff Dispute

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump took aim at Canada during an Oval Office executive order signing on Monday, accusing the neighboring country of being difficult to do business with. His comments came as trade tensions between the two nations escalated following the imposition of new tariffs.

“Canada is very tough. They’re very, very tough to do business with. And we can’t let them take advantage of the U.S.,” Trump said during the event. Over the weekend, Trump imposed a 25% trade tariff on Canadian imports, a move that quickly drew retaliation from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

In response, Canada announced its own 25% tariff on U.S. goods, setting the stage for a growing economic standoff. The two leaders spoke by phone Monday morning, with a follow-up call scheduled for the afternoon as both sides sought to address the escalating dispute, told ABC News.

Trump, however, signaled that he was prepared to move forward without reliance on Canadian trade. “And look, I think we’re going to have another good conversation today. We’re actually speaking at 3 again, but we don’t need them to make our cars. We don’t need them to give us lumber. We don’t need them for agricultural products because we have all the agriculture we need,” Trump said.

Trump went on to criticize Canada’s stance on agricultural imports, particularly dairy products, a long-standing point of contention between the two nations. “They don’t take our agricultural product, for the most part, our milk and dairy, etc. A little bit they do, but not much. We take theirs.

And as far as cars are concerned, they took in a big percentage, almost 19% of the market, and, you know, I wouldn’t mind making our cars in the United States. So, we have a problem there,” he added. The latest round of tariffs has further strained relations between the U.S. and Canada, which have frequently clashed over trade issues during Trump’s presidency.

While Trump has long advocated for stronger protectionist policies, Canadian officials have defended their trade practices, arguing that tariffs harm both economies. Economists warn that escalating tariffs could lead to higher prices for consumers and disrupt supply chains that depend on cross-border trade.

Despite the tensions, both governments have expressed a willingness to continue discussions to find a resolution. As negotiations continue, business leaders on both sides of the border are bracing for potential economic fallout, with industries ranging from automotive manufacturing to agriculture likely to be affected by the tit-for-tat tariff measures.