The U.S. recently imposed a 25 percent tariff on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico, sending both countries into a trade war.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau broke down in tears during a press conference in Ottawa as he addressed the escalating trade war with the United States and the final days of his tenure as prime minister.
The emotional moment came as Donald Trump continued to taunt him, repeatedly calling him 'Governor Trudeau' and suggesting Canada should become the 51st state of the United States, MailOnline reports.
The U.S. recently imposed a 25 percent tariff on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico, sending both countries into a trade war.
However, just days later, Trump reversed the decision, stating that goods compliant with the North American Free Trade Agreement would not be subject to tariffs until April 2, and hinted at a similar exemption for Canada.
For months, Trump had ridiculed Trudeau, questioning his leadership and claiming he was using the tariff issue as a political manoeuvre.
“Believe it or not, despite the terrible job he’s done for Canada, I think that Justin Trudeau is using the Tariff problem, which he has largely caused, in order to run again for Prime Minister. So much fun to watch!” Trump posted on social media.
At the press conference, Trudeau struggled to maintain his composure while discussing childhood healthcare.
“On a personal level, I made sure that every single day in this office, I put Canadians first and I have peoples’ backs and that’s why I’m here to tell you all that we got you, even in the last days of this government, we will not let Canadians down today and well into the future,” he said, visibly crying.
Trudeau is expected to step down once his Liberal Party elects a new leader on Sunday, ahead of Canada’s national election.
Mark Carney, former head of the Bank of Canada and Bank of England, is the frontrunner, while former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, who split with Trudeau over tariff policies, is also a key contender.
Meanwhile, Canada has responded to the U.S. tariffs by announcing its own retaliatory measures. “This is a time to hit back hard and to demonstrate that a fight with Canada will have no winners,” Trudeau declared, revealing a 25 percent tariff on $155 billion worth of American goods, with $30 billion of products targeted immediately.
Trump warned Trudeau that the U.S. would respond with even more tariffs. “Please explain to Governor Trudeau, of Canada, that when he puts on a Retaliatory Tariff on the U.S., our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount!” he wrote online.
He also argued that Canada depended too heavily on the U.S., stating, “We subsidize them $200 billion a year. Without us, Canada can’t make it.”
Trudeau expressed a mix of anger, frustration, and defiance.
“We're insulted, we're angry, but we're Canadian, which means we're gonna stand up for each other, we're gonna fight...and we're gonna win,” he declared.
Trump continued to push the idea of Canada joining the United States, suggesting, “I say Canada should be our 51st state. There’s no tariffs, no nothing.”
He also claimed Canada was not contributing enough to its own defence.
“We protect Canada. But it’s not fair. It’s not fair that they’re not paying their way. And if they had to pay their way, they couldn’t exist,” he said.
With tensions running high, Canadians are now considering ways to make the U.S. economy suffer in retaliation for Trump’s tariff policies.