It’s no small feat to diplomatically alienate one of our nation’s strongest allies, but thanks to our puerile president, the United States is now fighting with both of its neighbors, to the north and to the south.
Shortly after leaving the G-7 summit in Canada on Saturday, Donald Trump went on a Twitter rant attacking Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and announced that the U.S. would not support a joint statement with other member nations that he had backed just hours earlier. Trump also threatened to impose penalties on foreign auto imports, The Washington Post reported.
Trump’s Twitter thumbs apparently were set off aboard Air Force One by a post-summit press conference in which Trudeau said Canada would move forward with retaliatory tariffs against the U.S.
“Based on Justin’s false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our U.S. farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our U.S. Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the U.S. Market!” Trump tweeted with his signature capitalization of random words.
He added that, “PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that, ‘US Tariffs were kind of insulting’ and he ‘will not be pushed around.’ Very dishonest & weak. Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!”
Trudeau had said, among other things, that “Canadians did not take it lightly that the United States has moved forward with significant tariffs on our steel and aluminum industry.” Those steel and aluminum tariffs levied against the European Union, Canada, and Mexico were the brainchild of the Trump administration, so it’s not clear what the president is accusing Trudeau of lying about.
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow also was up in arms on Sunday, accusing Trudeau of “double-crossing” Trump, according to The Hill. “They have enormous tariffs,” Kudlow said of Canada, in an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union. He also accused Trudeau of being “polarizing.”
“Here’s the thing: He really kind of stabbed us in the back,” Kudlow said, adding that Trudeau’s statements were a “political stunt for domestic consumption.”
So, to recap, Trump and members of his administration are angry because they believe an ally lied, levied unnecessary tariffs on a close trading partner, acted in a polarizing manner, and took political steps solely to appease their base. Got it.