Staff Reports
President Trump has once again shown that he doesn’t pull any punches, even when chatting it up with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Their recent phone call revolved around tariffs, trade woes, and a certain little drug problem—Fentanyl—that seems to be taking a toll on American lives, all thanks to weak Canadian border policies.
During the call, Trump bluntly told Trudeau that the trade problems currently plaguing the U.S.-Canada relationship can largely be traced back to the Prime Minister’s inability to address the border crisis. In typical Trump fashion, he highlighted the tragic reality that the Fentanyl crisis continues to claim lives across America, and he wasn’t buying any claims from Trudeau that things had improved. The former president was not going to accept “it’s gotten better” as a suitable excuse. How many wakes must Americans attend before their leaders figure it out?
Trump says call with Canada’s Justin Trudeau ended ‘somewhat friendly’https://t.co/tOqrLIiUpD pic.twitter.com/43Rxt69trW
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) March 6, 2025
Before hanging up, Trump peculiarly sensed that Trudeau might be trying to use the tariff dispute as a political maneuver to cling to power. With Trudeau announcing his resignation earlier this year, it’s rich to see him attempt to leverage external issues while his approval ratings plummet. The good news for Trump was that he sensed the camaraderie ending on a “somewhat” friendly note. One can only imagine the eye-rolls coming from Trudeau as he navigated this uncomfortable conversation.
The former president then reiterated, much to everyone’s dismay, that Trudeau’s border policies are the root cause of many problems, including the unchecked flow of Fentanyl and illegal aliens crossing into the United States. Trump painted a vivid picture of how Trudeau’s so-called management of the border has contributed to unnecessary deaths, essentially pointing the finger right back at the Prime Minister. It’s kick-the-can diplomacy at its finest, only instead of a can, it’s human lives being compromised.
On the practical side of the conversation, Trump made headlines with his announcement of a 25% tariff on imports from both Canada and Mexico, alongside a 10% tariff on Canadian energy imports. After initially postponing these tariffs in an attempt to strike a deal, the gloves are off. In response, Trudeau took the opportunity to label these tariffs as “very dumb,” vowing to retaliate with his own tariffs on American goods. It’s a classic tit-for-tat scenario, leaving many wondering if these trade negotiations will ever simmer down, or if it’s just going to be a never-ending cycle of penalties and accusations.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s comments hinted at a possible revision in Trump’s approach, suggesting that certain trade deals tied to the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement might be spared from tariffs. Perhaps this is Trump’s strategic play to keep relations manageable while confronting the core issues. Whatever happens next, it’s safe to say that the chess match between these two leaders will keep rolling on, and the American people will be watching from the sidelines, popcorn in hand.
