Trump explodes at Mark Carney as he announces 50 percent tariff on cars in trade war with Canada
Donald Trump announced plans Monday for a 50 percent tariff on Canadian cars, trucks, automotive parts and steel, escalating his trade war with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
‘Canada has been ripping off the United States of America for years,’ Trump posted on Truth Social, saying the new 50 percent levy would hit cars, trucks, automotive parts and steel from January 1.
‘Canada will be treated like a state no longer,’ Trump added. ‘They feel entitled, and yet, we don’t need Canada, they need us.’
Trump accused America’s neighbor of putting ‘ridiculously high tariffs’ on US farmers, saying they had made life ‘impossible for these great American Patriots.’
Trade talks collapsed last week and tariffs on roughly $20 billion in Canadian goods took effect Saturday, hitting products including agricultural supplies, dairy, alcohol, clothing and electronics.
Carney vowed Saturday to ‘hit back,’ accusing Washington of adding language in the final hours that would have restricted Canada’s ability to make trade deals with other countries.
The Canadian prime minister said in an address to the nation that Trump’s demand was ‘unacceptable’ and ‘a question of sovereignty.’
‘You’re at war when you’re attacked, and we got attacked,’ Carney said.
President Donald Trump released a furious statement on Monday morning accusing Canada of ‘ripping off the United States of America for years.’ On Saturday, the US imposted a new 50 percent tariff on some Canadian goods after negotiations on a trade deal fell through
‘Canada will match those tariffs dollar for dollar to protect our workers and businesses,’ Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement on Saturday shortly after the new rates went into effect
‘Tariffs on all Cars, Trucks, both large and small, Automotive Parts, and Steel, will be increased to 50%,’ Trump said on Monday. Above, a Toyota assembly plany in Ontario is shown
US and Canadian officials negotiated for roughly a month before the agreement, which both sides said was close, broke apart just before the finish line last week.
Trump had extended the negotiating window on August 19, when the tariffs were originally due to take effect, saying it was ‘based on the fact that Canada and the U.S.A., subject to the finalization of documents, have a DEAL!’
But the extension failed to produce a deal, with Washington and Ottawa now blaming each other for the collapse.
American officials blamed Canada for introducing new demands late in the negotiations, including calls for lower rates on heavy trucks.
‘Despite the U.S. offer to Canada to receive the best treatment of any major exporter to our market, new demands and walk backs of other commitments by Canada have upended the careful balance reached in the past days,’ said US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
‘Canada declined to finalize the trade deal under the terms agreed earlier this week.’
Carney and other officials have in turn blamed the Trump administration for changing its demands.
‘Canada will match those tariffs dollar for dollar to protect our workers and businesses,’ Carney said in a statement on Saturday shortly after the new rates went into effect.
Trump and Carney have met multiple times during the Republican’s second term, but despite the sit-downs, the two leaders could not avoid another trade spat
Trump has long railed against automaker factories in Mexico and Canada. He has made it a priority to brink automotive manufcaturing back to the US
The fresh tariffs will impact Canadian hockey equipment in addition to the automotive sector
The PM said its retaliatory tariffs targeting US goods would go into effect on September 8. The new rates target US steel, dairy, agricultural equipment and other sectors.
The fallout could raise prices further ahead of the midterm election as US voters are already wary of inflated costs.
In 2025, the US and Canada traded an estimated $869.7 billion in goods and services, according to the USTR.
Concerns over the economy have come to the forefront of US politics ahead of the US midterm elections.
A July Gallup survey found that 22 percent of respondents rated the US economy as ‘excellent’ or ‘good.’
Another 32 percent of respondents called the economy ‘fair’ and 44 percent described it as ‘poor.’
Meanwhile, Democrats across the country have honed in on this concern and campaigned on making things more affordable.
Prediction markets Polymarket and Kalshi show Democrats favored to win control of the House in the midterms, while Republicans retain a narrow edge in the Senate.
If Republicans lose either chamber, Trump could face greater difficulty advancing his policy priorities through Congress, as legislation would require support from at least some Democrats.
