Trump says Canada trade dispute may soon be resolved as he defends tough tariff policy
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President Donald Trump told a Michigan rally that the trade conflict with Canada could be settled shortly, while standing firm on tariffs he says are necessary to protect the United States and pressing ahead with targeted adjustments before the midterm elections.
President Donald Trump addressed a crowd in Port Huron, Michigan, saying the trade dispute with Canada would be settled "pretty soon" and that Canada was "willing to give us anything at this moment." He defended the tariffs as a necessary response, saying the United States had no choice but to impose levies on Canadian goods and arguing that Canada had "ripped off" the United States for years.
The Prime Minister’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Relations between the two countries have been strained since the Carney government halted formal trade talks in August after the United States presented last-minute demands, prompting Washington to levy tariffs on billions of dollars of Canadian products and Ottawa to impose retaliatory duties.
"Canada has been ripping off the United States for years, OK? For years. And I had to do it. We’ll have that settled pretty soon. They’re willing to give us anything at this moment," Trump said.
With the November midterm elections less than two weeks away, Trump announced plans to lift some 50 percent tariffs at the end of the month while adding duties on additional items, including Canadian waste management products. The move follows a request from Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, a border state affected by the dispute.