Trump Warns Canada of 100% Tariffs Over Prospective China Trade Deal

US President Donald Trump has warned Canada that any move to formalise a trade agreement with China would trigger sweeping retaliatory tariffs on Canadian exports to the United States.

The warning follows recent engagements between Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese officials, during which Ottawa announced a new strategic partnership with Beijing and outlined plans for a preliminary trade framework aimed at lowering tariffs.

Trump said the United States would not allow Canada to serve as a transit point for Chinese goods entering the American market, accusing Beijing of seeking indirect access through its northern neighbour. He warned that such an arrangement would have severe economic consequences for Canada.

According to Trump, China’s growing influence could undermine Canadian businesses, social stability, and economic independence if left unchecked. He added that any confirmed trade pact between Canada and China would result in an immediate 100 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods entering the US.

Relations between Washington and Ottawa have remained strained since Trump’s return to the White House, marked by repeated disagreements over trade policy and Canada’s role within the US-led global economic order. Carney has publicly described the current international environment as fractured, a statement widely interpreted as a critique of recent US foreign policy shifts.

Tensions escalated further following comments made by both leaders at separate international forums, with Trump responding sharply to Carney’s remarks and later withdrawing an invitation for the Canadian leader to participate in a US-backed international peace initiative.

The US president has also repeatedly suggested that Canada’s economic survival depends heavily on access to the American market, a claim Carney has rejected. While acknowledging the close economic ties between both countries, the Canadian prime minister insisted that Canada’s prosperity is rooted in its own national strength and institutions.

Trade remains a critical pressure point between the two nations. More than three-quarters of Canadian exports are destined for the US, leaving the economy highly exposed to shifts in American trade policy. Key sectors such as automobiles, aluminum, and steel have already faced the impact of US tariffs, although some effects have been softened by existing North American trade agreements.

Negotiations to review and potentially revise the regional free trade framework are expected to begin soon, raising concerns about further trade disruptions. Trump has repeatedly stated that the US could operate without Canadian imports, a position that analysts say would have far-reaching implications for Canada’s economy.

Despite ongoing tensions, the US and Canada remain closely linked through trade, security cooperation, and shared international commitments, even as political rhetoric between both governments continues to intensify.