On social media, Trump noted that if Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney "thinks Canada will become a 'dumping ground' for China and send goods to the U.S., he is very mistaken."
This week, Canada signed an agreement to reduce tariffs on electric vehicles from China in exchange for lowering taxes on imports of Canadian agricultural products. Initially, Trump believed that Carney's decision was "the right one" and approved of it.
Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc clarified that Canada and China resolved "a few important trade issues," but are not seeking a free trade agreement.
Expressing a threat, Trump continued his verbal sparring with Carney, stating at a forum in Davos that "Canada exists because of the United States." In response, Carney emphasized that Canada is not dependent on the U.S., adding that "Canada thrives because of its citizens."
After this, Trump rescinded the invitation for Carney to join his "Peace Council," created to address global conflicts.
Trump has repeatedly questioned Canada's independence, suggesting ideas about making it the 51st state of the U.S. This week, he even published a modified image showing a map of the U.S. that includes Canada, Greenland, Venezuela, and Cuba.
In yet another provocation, Trump referred to Carney as "governor," as he had previously called Justin Trudeau.
Carney, for his part, is urging other countries to unite and stand up to Trump, stating that "middle powers must act together, or they will find themselves on the menu." He also expressed concerns about the rift between the U.S. and its Western allies, which he believes is impossible to repair.
On Saturday, Trump also warned on social media platform Truth Social that "China could completely absorb Canada, destroying its business and society." He added, "The world does not need China to take over Canada. That will not happen."
So far, Carney has not been able to negotiate with Trump on reducing tariffs that have been imposed on key sectors of the Canadian economy. However, Canada has been shielded from the most serious consequences of the tariffs thanks to an agreement with the U.S. and Mexico, which is set to be reviewed this year.
Canada remains an important trading partner for 36 U.S. states, with daily trade volumes exceeding 3.6 billion Canadian dollars. Approximately 60% of the oil imported into the U.S. comes from Canada, as well as 85% of electricity.
