Customs Duty 25% Imposition Statement Revisited Four Days Later
Trump Visits Mar-a-Lago Estate
Reexamining Their Formerly Hostile Relationship
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited President-elect Donald Trump of the United States on the 29th of last month (local time), just four days after the threat of a 'tariff bomb.' It was four days after Trump announced a 25% tariff bomb on Canada and Mexico.
On the 30th (local time), Trump described the 'Mar-a-Lago meeting' with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau the previous day as "very productive" and said he had secured a promise of cooperation on drug enforcement.
In a post on the social networking service (SNS) Truth Social, Trump said, "We discussed many important issues that require cooperation between the two countries, such as the fentanyl (a type of drug) and drug crisis that has taken countless lives as a result of illegal immigration, a fair trade agreement that does not endanger American workers, and the large U.S. trade deficit with Canada."
He emphasized that he would "no longer tolerate" American citizens being sacrificed due to the widespread presence of drugs by drug cartels and fentanyl coming from China. Trump added, "Prime Minister Trudeau has promised to work with us to end this terrible destruction of American families caused by drugs."
He continued, "We also discussed other important topics such as energy, trade, and the Arctic," adding, "All of these are issues I will address on my first day in office (January 20 next year) and even before then."
The meeting took place after Trudeau, who learned on the 25th that Trump would impose a 25% tariff on Canada, visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida just four days later.
Trudeau's visit to Trump has also brought renewed attention to the relationship between the two, who were once considered 'arch-enemies.'
They maintained an uncomfortable relationship throughout Trump's first term in office. At that time, trade issues between the two largest allies, including tariffs, were the main source of conflict.
In May 2018, when the Trump administration decided to impose high tariffs on steel and aluminum products imported from Canada, the European Union (EU), and Mexico, Trudeau harshly criticized the tariff measures as "insulting" and "ridiculous."
At the G7 summit held in Canada the following month, Trudeau called the tariffs an "insult" to allies during a separate press conference from the closing one. Trump, who was then president, had already left for Singapore to attend the North American summit after the G7 summit.
On the plane, he publicly attacked Trudeau on Twitter (formerly known as X), saying, "He acted mild and soft at the G7 summit, then held a press conference after I left," calling him "very dishonest and weak."
The conflict between the two flared up again in December 2019. Trump attended the NATO summit held in London, England, but suddenly canceled a scheduled press conference and returned home.
This was because a video showing Trudeau 'talking behind Trump's back' was released the night before at a meeting with the leaders of the UK, France, and the Netherlands. In the video, Trudeau appeared to be making disparaging remarks about someone, and foreign media speculated that the target was Trump.
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