President Donald Trump unloaded on Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau Saturday for remarks the G7 summit host made on trade, announcing the U.S. will not endorse the communique signed by the seven largest advanced economies in the world.
“Based on Justin’s false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our U.S. farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our U.S. Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the U.S. Market!” Trump tweeted.
“PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that, “US Tariffs were kind of insulting” and he “will not be pushed around,” the President added. “Very dishonest & weak. Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!”
President Trump was responding to Trudeau’s remarks on trade between the U.S. and Canada, in which the prime minister warned his government would take retaliatory measures if new tariffs were introduced.
“I highlighted directly to the president that Canadians did not take it lightly, the United States’ move forward with significant tariffs on our steel and aluminum industry,” began Trudeau. “[I] particularly did not take lightly the fact that it’s based on national security reason that for Canadians who either themselves or whose parents or community members have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with American soldiers in far off lands, in conflicts from the First World War onwards, that it’s kind of insulting.”
“And I highlighted it was not helping in our renegotiation of NAFTA and that it would be with regret but it would be with absolute certainty and firmness that we move forward with retaliatory measures on 1 July – applying equivalent tariffs to the ones that the Americans have unjustly applied to us,” Trudeau continued.
Trudeau finished with a warning to Trump, saying “Canadians are polite, we’re reasonable, but we also will not be pushed around.”