US President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to impose 50 per cent tariff on Canada-made aircraft sold in the US, and said all such planes would be decertified until American-made Gulfstream jets receive certification in Canada.
The warning is the latest salvo in US administration’s trade war with its long-standing ally, Canada, expanding a feud that saw Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speak up against US-fuelled trade wars at the World Economic Forum last week.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump specified that the move would include Bombardier’s Global Express business jet, produced in Quebec. “Canada is effectively prohibiting the sale of Gulfstream products in Canada through this very same certification process,” Trump wrote, adding, “If, for any reason, this situation is not immediately corrected, I am going to charge Canada a 50% Tariff on any and all Aircraft sold into the United States of America.”
This threat was preceded by Trump’s warning over the weekend to impose a 100 per cent tariff on goods imported from Canada if it went forward with a planned trade deal with China. Trump’s announcement came after Carney visited Beijing and struck a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping, so it was unclear when Trump planned to impose the import taxes on the US’ second-largest trading partner.
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Referring to Carney as “Governor,” Trump said the United States would impose a 100 per cent tariff on Canadian goods should Canada deepen trade ties with China. He also took to his Truth Social media post to pen his thoughts and threats, saying, “If Governor Carney thinks he is going to make Canada a ‘Drop Off Port’ for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken.”
Escalating his criticism further, Trump added, “China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life. If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the USA. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Trump has also accused Canada of opposing his proposed ‘Golden Dome’ missile defence system over Greenland. “Canada is against The Golden Dome being built over Greenland, even though The Golden Dome would protect Canada,” he wrote, adding, “Instead, they voted in favor of doing business with China, who will ‘eat them up’ within the first year!”
A US channel has reported that Carney had urged Trump to “respect Canadian sovereignty” following reports of meetings between Alberta separatists and US officials, adding to the growing diplomatic strain.
Marking the first visit by a Canadian leader to China in nearly a decade, the talks were described by both sides as reflecting a changing global environment, with Jinping welcoming what he termed a “turnaround” in bilateral relations. The deal includes an understanding to lower tariffs on certain Canadian agricultural exports and introduce quotas on Chinese electric vehicles entering the Canadian market, with the framework also potentially opening the door to increased Chinese investment in Canada.
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