Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau will not go on vacation together. The two leaders have given themselves a verbal confrontation for several weeks, against the backdrop of a trade war. Imports from Canada and Mexico are now taxed up to 25 %, and 10 % for Canadian hydrocarbons. These new American customs barriers, which have just entered into force, strongly increase the prices of goods crossing borders.
Canada replied by the “immediate” settling of 25 % targeted customs duties on certain American products, including meat, eggs, fruits, wine, milk or clothes and cosmetics. These customs duties will remain in place as long as the United States maintains theirs, explained Justin Trudeau on March 4 at a press conference. At the same time, several Canadian provinces, including Ontario and Quebec, the two most populous in the country, announced on Tuesday withdraw American alcohol from their state stores.
“Stupid” customs duties
Faced with journalists, the Canadian Prime Minister said on Tuesday that the American leader had sparked an “economic war” in order to “drop the Canadian economy” and then “talk about annexation” of the country. “This is what he wants,” insisted the head of the Canadian government, describing the American president’s decision to impose customs duties on Canadian “stupid” products.
The next day, Donald Trump, behind this trade war, accused the Canadian Prime Minister who resigned to use the issue of customs duties to “stay in power”. “It was not able to tell me when the Canadian elections would take place, which intrigued me […] I then understood that he was trying to use this question to stay in power, “said the republican president on his Truth Social network after a telephone interview between the two leaders.
In reality, Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in early January 2025, had to leave his post as head of government in a few days. He stayed in place for his party to elect his replacement, which must take place on Sunday, March 9. The person chosen by the Liberal Party will become the new Prime Minister of Canada. As for the next elections, they must take place at the latest in October 2025. But analysts rely on a possible trigger in the coming weeks.
Donald Trump also accused Justin Trudeau on Wednesday to “do not” do it so that US and Canada can find a compromise on customs duties, in a message on Truth Social. The American president regretted a lack of advances in Canadians on the fight against drug trafficking. But, according to Justin Trudeau, the question of fentanyl arrivals in the United States, advanced by the American president to justify the taxation of customs duties, is “completely bogus, completely unjustified”.
“It will be hard and it will hit Canada hard” but the country will not “go back,” he added, promising Ottawa’s victory in this conflict between neighbors. The showdown led by Justin Trudeau seems to be effective: a reprieve has indeed been granted to his country. At the request of American manufacturers, Donald Trump conceded an exemption of one month for vehicles imported as part of the free trade agreement between Canada, the United States and Mexico, the White House announced on Wednesday.
The “Governor Trudeau”
The tone has continued to rise in recent weeks between the Canadian and American leaders while Donald Trump has spoke several times to make Canada the 51st US state. Since his return to the White House, Donald Trump’s commercial attacks have been coupled with a particular animosity of the Republican against the one he is happy to call the “Trudeau Governor”, in a voluntarily humiliating way.
Tensions are also invited on sports fields, with Canadians who show their dissatisfaction. On February 15 in Montreal, during an international ice hockey meeting, the US national anthem was copiously hue and three pugilats broke out on the ice. Five days later, political frictions were invited again during the final of the four nations tournament, which gave rise to a new over -worked match. Donald Trump had renewed his provocations a few hours before the duel, writing on Truth Social that he had called the American team “to encourage him to win the victory this evening against Canada who […] will become one day and perhaps soon our very important and beloved 51st state “. Response from Justin Trudeau after the coronation of Canada:” You cannot take our country-and you cannot take our sport “.