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Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to make Canada the 51st State of the US. Justin Trudeau has termed the threats as “distraction” from the fallout of his tariff threats.
Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau (AP File Image)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday (local time) dubbed President-elect Donald Trump’s repeated remarks to annex Canada into the United States as a “distraction” from the consequences of the latter’s 25% tariff threats.
Trudeau, who announced earlier this week that he would step down as the leader of his party and as Prime Minister once his successor was chosen, said that Canada becoming the 51st State of the US, as per Donald Trump’s threat, was “not going to happen”.
Trudeau Responds To Trump’s Threat
“President Trump, who is a very skillful negotiator, is getting people to be somewhat distracted by that, by that conversation, to take away from the conversation around 25% tariffs on oil and gas and electricity and steel and aluminum and lumber and concrete,” Trudeau said in an interview with CNN.
Trump in November last year vowed to impose heavy taxes on all goods coming from Mexico, Canada, and China from the first day of his administration.
“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,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
“This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”
‘We Are Not American’: Trudeau
The tariffs, if levied, could sharply shoot up the costs for American businesses and consumers, Trudeau pointed out as Canada, Mexico and China are the biggest trade partners of the United States.
“Everything the American consumers buy from Canada is suddenly going to get a lot more expensive if he moves forward on these tariffs,” Trudeau told CNN.
On the induction of Canada into the US, Trudeau said that the Canadians are “incredibly proud of being Canadian”.
“One of the ways we define ourselves most easily is, well, we’re not American,” he said.
- Location :
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)