Agencies
US President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday he discussed the border, trade and energy in a "very productive” meeting with visiting Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau amid rising fears of a trade war and potential steep tariffs he recently pledged for.
Trudeau paid an unannounced visit to Florida on Friday evening and had dinner with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence, days after Republican Trump pledged to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports after being sworn in as president in January.
That pledge has raised fears of a trade war between the U.S. and two of its biggest trading partners.
Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum warned this week that Trump’s tariff plan would have dire consequences for both countries and suggested possible retaliation.
Trump wants to use tariffs as a tool to get Mexico and Canada to help stem the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S., particularly the deadly opioid fentanyl, and also migrants crossing illegally into the U.S.
"We discussed many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address, like the Fentanyl and Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration, Fair Trade Deals that do not jeopardize American Workers, and the massive Trade Deficit the U.S. has with Canada,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
"Trudeau has committed to work with us to end this terrible devastation of U.S. Families,” he added.
In a post on social media X on Saturday, Trudeau said he looked forward to the two working together.
"Thanks for dinner last night, President Trump. I look forward to the work we can do together again,” Trudeau said.
The prime minister’s office did not respond to a request for comment about the meeting.
A Canadian government official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters that it was a positive, wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours.
On Friday, Trudeau said at a news conference in Canada he was taking the possible tariffs seriously.
"Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out,” he said.Many economists have warned Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on imports will increase costs for U.S. consumers.
Trump has said tariffs on trading partners will help protect U.S. manufacturers and boost domestic job growth.
In a separate post, Trump called on the so-called BRICS countries to commit to not creating a new currency or supporting another currency over the U.S. dollar.
If those countries do so, they will face "100% tariffs,” Trump said.BRICS refers to the original members of the intergovernmental group of economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa.
It also includes Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)."We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar, or they will face 100% Tariffs and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy,” Trump wrote.