President Donald Trump on Saturday warned Canada that it could face steep consequences if it deepens trade ties with China, including a potential 100% tariff on Canadian imports entering the United States.
“If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S.A. Thank you for your attention to this matter!,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform.
Trump did not specify which agreement he was referencing. However, Canada and China reached an agreement last Friday that would reportedly have Canada scale back its 100% tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles in exchange for lower Chinese tariffs on Canadian agricultural products.
Canadian officials quickly pushed back on the idea that the country is pursuing broader economic alignment with Beijing. Dominic LeBlanc, the Canadian minister responsible for Canada–U.S. trade, released a statement Saturday insisting that “there is no pursuit of a free trade agreement with China,” while emphasizing Canada’s relationship with Washington.
“Canada and the United States have built a remarkable partnership in the economy, in security, and in rich cultural exchange,” LeBlanc said, calling the U.S.-Canada relationship a “remarkable partnership.”
His statement added, “The new Government of Canada is strengthening the Canadian economy through a plan that consolidates our national strength and bolsters our trade partnerships around the world.”
Trump’s latest warning comes amid renewed scrutiny from Republicans and conservatives over Canada’s willingness to do business with the Chinese Communist Party while continuing to rely on U.S. markets and security guarantees. The post followed another social media message Trump shared the day before, in which he criticized Canada’s reported stance toward his proposed “Golden Dome” missile defense initiative and blasted Ottawa’s trade engagement with China.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed Trump’s criticism Thursday, arguing that Canada’s identity and strength are independent of the United States, even as the two countries remain close allies.
“Canada and the United States have built a remarkable partnership in the economy, in security, and in rich cultural exchange,” Carney said. “But Canada doesn’t live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian.”
The clash also comes after Trump was asked last Friday whether he was concerned about Canada growing closer to China during Carney’s visit. At the time, Trump signaled he was not opposed to Canada pursuing trade deals—as long as U.S. interests are protected.
“That’s what he should be doing. It’s a good thing for him to sign a trade deal. If you can get a deal with China, you should do that,” Trump said.
In Saturday’s post, Trump referred to Carney as “governor” rather than prime minister—a term he previously used for former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, tying it to his long-running suggestion that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state.
The warning also comes after Trump recently walked back tariffs he had threatened to impose on European allies who resisted his proposals involving Greenland. Trump said he and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte have “formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland.”
