FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump talks with Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau throughout a North Atlantic Treaty Group Plenary Session on the NATO summit in Watford, Britain, December 4, 2019.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
President-elect Donald Trump known as his assembly with Justin Trudeau productive and stated the prime minister made a dedication to work with the USA to finish the drug disaster amid the specter of stiff tariffs.
“We mentioned many necessary subjects that can require each International locations to work collectively to handle, just like the Fentanyl and Drug Disaster that has decimated so many lives on account of Unlawful Immigration, Honest Commerce Offers that don’t jeopardize American Employees, and the large Commerce Deficit the U.S. has with Canada,” Trump stated in a publish on Fact Social Saturday.
Trudeau flew to Florida Friday night to attend a dinner at Mar-a-Lago, the place Trump’s transition group relies.
The in-person assembly got here on the finish of a rocky week through which Trump threatened to impose a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico except the 2 nations cease unlawful border crossings and forestall illicit medication from getting into the USA.
Trudeau thanked Trump for the dinner in a publish on social media on Saturday.
“I sit up for the work we will do collectively, once more,” Trudeau stated within the publish that included an image of the 2 leaders sitting at a desk and smiling collectively.
Trump stated he and Trudeau mentioned the drug disaster and the president-elect made it “very clear that the USA will not sit idly by as our Residents change into victims” of the drug epidemic, which he attributed to cartels and fentanyl coming from China.
“Prime Minister Trudeau has made a dedication to work with us to finish this horrible devastation of U.S. Households,” Trump posted.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau exits the Delta Motels by Marriott West Palm Seaside forward of a gathering with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on November 29, 2024 in Palm Seaside, Florida.
Brandon Bell | Getty Pictures
Trump’s publish didn’t straight point out tariffs, and it is unclear whether or not the prime minister’s go to has alleviated his issues in regards to the border.
An announcement from the Prime Minister’s Workplace stated the leaders “shared a productive wide-ranging dialogue” centered on collaboration and strengthening the bilateral relationship.
“As Canada’s closest buddy and ally, the USA is our key accomplice, and we’re dedicated to working collectively within the pursuits of Canadians and People,” the assertion stated.
Trudeau had a notably rocky relationship with the Republican chief through the first Trump administration. Nonetheless, the prime minister was the primary G-7 chief to go to Trump for the reason that Nov. 5 election.
Trudeau’s invitation to Mar-a-Lago says quite a bit in regards to the working relationship, a senior authorities supply stated, talking on background.
The dinner lasted greater than three hours. Sources stated Trudeau and Trump mentioned commerce, border safety, Ukraine, NATO, icebreakers, the Center East and the Group of Seven assembly in Alberta subsequent yr. In addition they talked about vitality tasks, together with the Keystone Pipeline, Line 5, Trans Mountain Pipeline, and different subjects associated to liquefied pure gasoline.
It was described as a pleasant and welcoming dinner.
Trump’s social media publish in regards to the assembly with Trudeau appeared rather more collaborative in tone than his response to a cellphone name with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum earlier this week after which he claimed a tariff victory.
Trump wrote Wednesday that Sheinbaum had agreed to cease unauthorized migration throughout the border into the USA, “successfully closing our Southern Border.”
The Mexican president stated that it was an “wonderful” dialog however countered that her nation was already doing its half.
“We reiterate that Mexico’s place is to not shut borders however to construct bridges between governments and between peoples,” Sheinbaum stated.
Trump’s return to the White Home has introduced concern to America’s closest neighbors. He has lengthy used the specter of import taxes to stress different nations to do his bidding, saying final summer season that “essentially the most lovely phrase within the dictionary is ‘tariff.'”
The Canada-U.S.-Mexico Settlement is up for evaluate in 2026 and specialists suspect this week’s tariff announcement is a negotiating tactic.
Canadian premiers have been calling on Trudeau to be extra proactive in his method to the incoming Trump administration. Greater than 77% of Canadian exports go to the USA and provincial leaders have stated Trump’s duties could be devastating.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford stated he was glad Trudeau met Trump to be taught extra in regards to the president-elect’s issues. However Ottawa has to indicate the premiers a plan to make the border safer to keep away from “disastrous tariffs,” Ford stated in a press release on social media.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith stated she believed Trump and Trudeau had a constructive dialog. Talking on her provincewide call-in radio proven Saturday, Smith stated it was notable the dialog included the vitality sector.
Canada is the most important supply of U.S. vitality imports, and virtually all Canadian crude oil exports went to its neighbor in 2023.
The Alberta premier stated it’s vital to reveal how Canada’s vitality aligns with America’s home and worldwide pursuits.
“Our technique is that this: let’s speak to the People in regards to the issues we all know they want and use that as a leverage level to ensure that we’ve zero tariffs on all items,” Smith stated.
