Washington (AFP) – President Donald Trump said he will discuss the punishing tariffs he has levied on Canada and Mexico with both countries on Monday, after arguing that Americans may feel economic “pain” from the 25 percent duties but that it will be “worth the price.” Speaking to reporters after he flew back to Washington Sunday evening from a weekend in Florida, Trump said he was “speaking with Prime Minister (Justin) Trudeau tomorrow morning, and I’m also speaking with Mexico tomorrow morning.”
“I don’t expect anything very dramatic,” he added. Trump has also hit China with a 10-percent tariff in addition to levies already in place. A fervent supporter of tariffs, Trump had always maintained that their impact would be borne by foreign exporters, without being passed on to American consumers, contradicting the opinion of a broad range of experts. Earlier Sunday, he acknowledged, in a series of messages on his Truth Social network, that Americans may feel economic “pain” from his tariffs, but argued it would be “worth the price” to secure US interests.
China, Mexico, and Canada are the top three US trade partners and all have vowed to retaliate when the tariffs take effect Tuesday. “Will there be some pain? Yes, maybe (and maybe not!)” Trump wrote Sunday morning in all-caps on his Truth Social media platform. “But we will Make America Great Again, and it will all be worth the price that must be paid.” Analysts expect the trade war to slow US growth and increase prices, at least in the short term, something the president had resisted acknowledging after frustration over rising costs was seen as a major factor in his 2024 election win.
Seeking to limit a spike in fuel prices, Trump has put the levy on energy imports from Canada at only 10 percent. The president has cited illegal immigration and the trafficking of the deadly opioid fentanyl as reasons for the “emergency” measures. But on Sunday he also expressed general outrage at trade deficits, which he has long viewed as signs of unfair treatment against the United States. “The USA has major deficits with Canada, Mexico, and China (and almost all countries!), owes 36 Trillion Dollars, and we’re not going to be the ‘Stupid Country’ any longer,” he wrote.
The tariffs announcements capped an extraordinary second week of Trump’s new term, with the president facing the worst US aviation disaster in years — even as his administration moved to drastically overhaul the government in actions decried by critics as illegal.
– ’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 $55 billion. Canadian backlash was swift, with video posted to social media showing fans at a Toronto Raptors game Sunday booing during the US national anthem. 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 actions could end 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.
– Federal overhaul –
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she, also, was awaiting Trump’s response to her proposal for dialogue. She said she had directed her economy minister to “implement Plan B,” which includes unspecified “tariff and non-tariff measures,” promising to detail Monday the steps she intends to take. Trump said Sunday he also planned to hit the European Union with tariffs “pretty soon,” to which the EU said earlier 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. 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 attempts 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. Trump, addressing the crash on Thursday as aviation authorities began their formal investigation, baselessly placed the blame on diversity programs.
© 2024 AFP
