Trump warns China will ‘eat Canada alive’ as he threatens 100% tariff over commerce deal

US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% tariff on goods imported from Canada if America’s northern neighbour goes ahead with its trade deal with China

View 3 Images

US President Donald Trump has threatened to slap a 100% tariff on goods imported from Canada if America’s northern neighbour proceeds with its trade agreement with China. Mr Trump declared in a social media post that if Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney “thinks he is going to make Canada a ‘Drop Off Port’ for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken”.

Whilst Mr Trump has waged a trade war over the past year, Canada this month negotiated a deal to reduce tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for lower import taxes on Canadian farm products.

Mr Trump initially had said that agreement was what Mr Carney “should be doing and it’s a good thing for him to sign a trade deal”. Mr Carney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The US leader’s threat emerged amid an escalating war of words with Mr Carney as the Republican president’s push to acquire Greenland strained the NATO alliance.

Mr Trump had remarked whilst in Davos, Switzerland, this week that “Canada lives because of the United States”.

The Canadian leader hit back that his nation can serve as an example that the world does not have to bow towards autocratic tendencies.

Mr Trump subsequently withdrew his invitation to Mr Carney to join the president’s “Board of Peace” that he is forming to attempt to resolve global conflicts. The US president’s drive to acquire Greenland follows his repeated jibes at Canada regarding its sovereignty, suggesting it could be absorbed into the United States as the 51st state.

He continued this theme this week by sharing a doctored image on social media depicting a US map that encompassed Canada, Venezuela, Greenland and Cuba within its borders.

In Saturday’s message, Trump escalated his provocations by referring to Canada’s leader as “Governor Carney”.

Trump had previously used this same moniker for Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau, and applying it to Carney represents the latest sign of their deteriorating relationship.

The Canadian prime minister has yet to strike an agreement with Trump to ease some of the tariffs imposed on crucial sectors of Canada’s economy.

However, Canada has been shielded from the most severe effects of Trump’s tariffs through the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement, which faces review this year.

Carney has positioned himself at the forefront of efforts encouraging nations to unite and challenge US dominance under Trump’s leadership.

Speaking at Davos ahead of Trump’s appearance, Carney declared: “Middle powers must act together because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu.”

In his Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump also claimed that “China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life”. During the autumn, Ontario province broadcast an anti-tariff advertisement in the US which prompted Mr Trump to halt trade negotiations with Canada.

The television commercial used quotes from former president Ronald Reagan to condemn US tariffs.

Mr Trump vowed to raise tariffs on Canadian imports by an additional 10%, though he never carried this out.

Regarding China, Canada had initially followed America’s lead by implementing a 100% tariff on electric vehicles from Beijing and a 25% levy on steel and aluminium.

China retaliated by imposing 100% import duties on Canadian canola oil and meal, plus 25% on pork and seafood.

However, as Mr Trump pursued aggressive tactics, Canada’s foreign policy became less synchronised with the US, opening the door for enhanced relations with China.

Mr Carney announced the tariff decision earlier this month whilst visiting Beijing.

Mr Carney has stated that Canada’s relationship with the US is intricate and profound, whilst Canada and China have disagreements on matters including human rights.

Canada serves as the primary export market for 36 US states.

Nearly 3.6 billion Canadian dollars (£1.9 billion) worth of goods and services traverse the border daily.

Approximately 60% of US crude oil imports originate from Canada, alongside 85% of US electricity imports.

Canada also stands as the largest foreign provider of steel, aluminium and uranium to the US, possessing 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon seeks and invests in for national security purposes.