US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% tariff on Canadian imports if Canada moves forward with a trade deal with China, sharply escalating pressure on Ottawa over its relationship with Beijing.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that closer cooperation with China would “endanger” Canada, claiming Beijing would “devour” the country’s economy and damage its businesses and social fabric. Trump said that if Canada finalizes an agreement with China, it would be “immediately” hit with a 100% tariff on all Canadian goods entering the United States.
Trump also argued that China could try to use Canada to bypass US tariffs, warning that Ottawa would not be allowed to become a “drop-off port” for Chinese products entering the American market indirectly.
The threat comes after Carney’s recent outreach to Beijing, where he described China as a “reliable and predictable partner,” and later encouraged European leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos to consider investment ties with the world’s second-largest economy.
The dispute is the latest sign of growing strain between Washington and Ottawa. Trump reportedly withdrew an invitation for Canada to join a US “Board of Peace” initiative after Carney criticized the use of tariffs and economic integration as political weapons — a comment widely seen as aimed at Trump’s trade strategy.