United States President Donald Trump has renewed his attack on Canada, saying the country wants "the benefits of being a state, without being one." The
remarks come amid ongoing trade tensions between the two countries. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump also accused Canada of imposing heavy tariffs on American farmers "for many years." "Canada wants the benefits of being a State, without being one!!! They have also charged our great farmers, for many years, massive amounts of Tariffs. No more!!! President DJT," Trump posted on Truth Social. The United States and Canada, historic allies along an undefended border, fell deeper into a trade war on Saturday marked by angry recriminations and new tariffs that are expected to raise prices for products in both countries. Both countries have blamed each other for the collapse of trade negotiations, leading the US to impose 50% tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods and Canada setting September 8 as the start of its retaliatory penalties. The US tariffs would hit about 5% of what Canada ships to the United States every year, ranging from hockey sticks to tongue depressors. Prime Minister Carney said Ottawa would respond with targeted tariff protection for industries exposed to the new US duties, including some steel products. He also mentioned the dairy, appliance, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper and electronics sectors.
US-Canada Trade Talks Collapse: Two Sides Blame Each Other
Each side accused the other for the failed talks. Canadian PM Carney accused the US of using "economic integration as a weapon," and "its signature was written in a pencil."
Carney said that the country had been "attacked" by the new American tariffs and vowed to charge "dollar for dollar". "Last-minute changes in the US proposed terms were unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any deal," he said.
However, according to US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the US was compelled to act after a year of retaliation by its longtime partner.
"We've said enough, and so we've taken countermeasures. Our interest is in protecting American workers and protecting American supply chains," the US trade representative told 'Fox & Friends Weekend.'
Greer said the Republican administration was offering to cut tariffs on steel, autos and lumber, "things that are sensitive for them. And they’ve always had the best deal, and they still would have an even better deal, but they didn’t want that."
