President-elect Trump met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in West Palm Beach, Florida, for a high-stakes dinner addressing trade and border security. The unannounced meeting followed Trump’s dramatic declaration of a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico, aimed at combating what he has called the “illegal alien invasion” and the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.
In a statement on Truth Social earlier this week, Trump said the tariffs would remain in effect until both nations took decisive action to address drug trafficking and illegal immigration. “Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem,” Trump posted. “Until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!”
Trudeau, whose government has expressed alarm at the potential economic fallout, initially called Trump on Friday to discuss the tariff threat. Hours later, the Canadian Prime Minister boarded a plane to Florida for a face-to-face meeting, underscoring the urgency of the situation for Canada’s fragile economy.
Describing the meeting as “productive,” Trump outlined his priorities in a follow-up post. “We discussed many important topics that will require both countries to work together to address, like the Fentanyl and Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives… fair trade deals that do not jeopardize American workers, and the massive trade deficit the U.S. has with Canada,” Trump said. He emphasized that the U.S. would no longer tolerate what he characterized as Canada’s economic reliance on exploiting American trade policies.
Trudeau reportedly expressed concerns about the devastating impact the proposed tariffs could have on Canada’s economy. According to Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy, the meeting turned lighthearted when Trump humorously suggested that if Canada couldn’t survive without what he claimed was a $100 billion annual trade imbalance, it might consider becoming the 51st state. “Trudeau can become its governor,” Trump quipped.
“Tonight we’re getting some new details about that Trump-Trudeau dinner from two people who were at the table. We’re told that when Trudeau told President-elect Trump that new tariffs would kill the Canadian economy, Trump joked to him that if Canada can’t survive without ripping off the U.S. to the tune of $100 billion per year, then maybe Canada should become the 51st state, and Trudeau can become its governor.”
Despite the humor, the dinner underscored serious tensions as Canada scrambles to navigate Trump’s assertive trade policies. Trudeau has committed to working with the U.S. on issues like border security and the fentanyl crisis, but the long-term economic relationship between the two nations remains uncertain. For now, the ball is in Trudeau’s court to meet Trump’s demands and avert the looming tariffs.
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