Trump proposes Canada as 51st state to end tariff tensions
Donald Trump suggested that Canada should become the 51st state of the USA, which would eliminate tariffs. The US President emphasised that Canada cannot survive without American subsidies.
- We pay hundreds of Billions of Dollars to SUBSIDIZE Canada. Why? There is no reason. We don’t need anything they have. We have unlimited Energy, should make our own Cars, and have more Lumber than we can ever use. Without this massive subsidy, Canada ceases to exist as a viable Country. Harsh but true! Therefore, Canada should become our Cherished 51st State. Much lower taxes, and far better military protection for the people of Canada — AND NO TARIFFS! - President Donald Trump assessed on Sunday. He also claimed that tariffs might cause some "pain," but it is a price worth paying.
Trump promises "military protection and lower taxes"
Trump stated that the USA pays hundreds of billions of dollars to subsidise Canada, which he believes is not justified. He emphasised that the United States has enough resources to produce its own goods, including cars and timber.
The US President noted that Canada, as the 51st state, could count on better military protection, lower taxes, and no tariffs. Trump did not specify what subsidies he had in mind, but he had previously mentioned the trade deficit between the USA and Canada.
In another Sunday post concerning the tariffs imposed on Saturday on Canada, Mexico, and China, the President criticised the conservative newspaper "The Wall Street Journal," which in an editorial referred to Trump's move as "the dumbest trade war in history." The President claimed that the "globalist" newspaper leads the "tariff lobby" to justify the "decades-long ripping off of America" and the influx of drugs and crime.
"THOSE DAYS ARE OVER! The USA has major deficits with Canada, Mexico, and China (and almost all countries!), owes 36 Trillion Dollars, and we’re not going to be the "Stupid Country" any longer. MAKE YOUR PRODUCT IN THE USA AND THERE ARE NO TARIFFS!" - he added.
"WE WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, AND IT WILL ALL BE WORTH THE PRICE THAT MUST BE PAID. WE ARE A COUNTRY THAT IS NOW BEING RUN WITH COMMON SENSE — AND THE RESULTS WILL BE SPECTACULAR!!!," he assured.
What does fentanyl have to do with it?
The justification for the additional 25% tariffs on all goods from Canada and Mexico and 10% from China, as presented by Trump, is somewhat different from the one he provided in Saturday's decree. On Saturday, the official reason given was the influx of fentanyl from all three countries. However, in the case of Canada, drug smuggling into the USA is much lower than smuggling from Mexico. The decree also states that trade barriers can be lifted if countries take appropriate steps to address the crisis. However, Trump said on Friday that he is "not looking for any concessions".
So far, the President has not announced a response to the retaliatory tariffs announced on Saturday by Mexico and Canada. The decree issued by him includes a clause allowing him further to increase the imposed tariffs in case of retaliation.
