Former U.S. President Donald Trump has stirred fresh tensions in U.S.-Canada relations, declaring that America does not need Canadian products — including cars, energy, or lumber — and instead values only Canada’s friendship.
Posting on his platform, Truth Social, Trump claimed the U.S. is effectively subsidizing Canada by as much as $200 billion annually, in addition to providing free military protection. He emphasized that while the U.S. does not depend on Canadian goods, Canada heavily relies on American support.
“I look forward to meeting the new Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney. I very much want to work with him, but cannot understand one simple TRUTH — Why is America subsidizing Canada by $200 Billion Dollars a year, in addition to giving them FREE Military Protection, and many other things?” Trump wrote.
“We don’t need their cars, we don’t need their energy, we don’t need their lumber, we don’t need anything they have, other than their friendship, which hopefully we will always maintain,” he added. “They, on the other hand, need everything from us!”
The comments come ahead of Trump’s scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. (1530 GMT), followed by lunch and an Oval Office discussion.
Carney, who recently assumed office, has warned that Canada’s relationship with the U.S. under Trump will not be business as usual. He has signaled a cautious approach, saying no immediate agreements should be expected from the high-level talks.
This latest development follows Trump’s controversial trade policies during his previous tenure, including the imposition of sweeping tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods. He has also previously suggested that Canada should become the 51st state of the U.S., further straining bilateral ties.
The U.S. remains Canada’s largest trading partner, and any shift in tone from Washington carries significant implications for both economies.
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