President-elect Trump took another jab at the Canadian prime minister on his Truth Social account just after midnight on Tuesday, saying ‘it was a pleasure’ to meet with ‘Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.’
‘It was a pleasure to have dinner the other night with Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada,’ Trump wrote. ‘I look forward to seeing the Governor again soon so that we may continue our in depth talks on Tariffs and Trade, the results of which will be truly spectacular for all!’
Trump and Trudeau met at the president-elect’s luxurious Mar-a-Lago property in West Palm Beach, Florida, last week, calling it a ‘very productive meeting.’ Trudeau flew to Florida just days after Trump threatened to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian and Mexican products.
Trump has proposed 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, citing what he describes as both nations’ failures to stem the flow of illegal immigration and illicit drugs into the United States.
Trump’s slight on Tuesday comes after sources previously told Fox News that the president-elect told the prime minister during the meeting that if a tariff for failing to address trade and immigration issues would kill the neighbor to the north’s economy, maybe it should become the 51st state.
‘We discussed many important topics that will require both countries to work together to address, like the fentanyl and drug crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of illegal immigration, fair trade deals that do not jeopardize American workers and the massive trade deficit the U.S. has with Canada,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social last week.
‘I made it very clear that the United States will no longer sit idly by as our citizens become victims to the scourge of this drug epidemic, caused mainly by the drug cartels, and fentanyl pouring in from China. Too much death and hardship!’
The pair also discussed energy, trade and the Arctic, although Trump didn’t disclose other details about the conversation.
‘All are vital issues that I will be addressing on my first days back in office, and before,’ Trump said, without saying whether tariffs were still on or off the table.
Late last month, Trump said on Truth Social he would impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico on his first day in office.
‘Right now a Caravan coming from Mexico, composed of thousands of people, seems to be unstoppable in its quest to come through our currently Open Border,’ he wrote. ‘On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders.’
During his first term, Trump renegotiated the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), replacing it with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which went into effect July 2020. The USMCA aimed to modernize and address issues in the original NAFTA, particularly concerning labor rights, environmental standards and digital trade.
‘I’m going to inform her [Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum] on day one, or sooner, that if they don’t stop this onslaught of criminals and drugs coming into our country, I’m going to immediately impose a 25% tariff on everything they send in to the United States of America,’ Trump said during his last North Carolina campaign stop before the election.
Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
