President Donald Trump reacted to Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau’s press conference on Tuesday, warning him that the United States was willing to level additional tariffs on their country’s economy. 

‘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!’ Trump warned on social media. 

Since he was reelected president in November, Trump has started referring to Trudeau as a ‘governor’ of Canada that could soon become the ’51st state’ of the United States of America. 

Trudeau was deeply disturbed by the news of Trump’s intent to level a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods imported into the United States, describing the decision as ‘dumb.’ 

He announced that Canada would begin implementing 25 percent tariffs on $155 billion of American goods, starting with $30 billion worth of products immediately.

‘This is a time to hit back hard and to demonstrate that a fight with Canada will have no winners,’ he said.

The United States imported $412 billion worth of goods from Canada in 2024, according to the US Census Bureau. 

Trump has argued that the trade deficit with Canada demonstrates that the United States deserves to level more tariffs on their imported goods. 

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference about the US tariffs against Canada

‘We subsidize them $200 billion a year. Without us, Canada can’t make it,’ Trump said during a cabinet meeting last week. ‘You know, Canada relies on us 95 percent. We rely on them 4 percent. Big difference.’

Trudeau veered between anger, frustration, defiance and sadness during his extended press conference in Ottawa. 

‘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 has suggested that Canada should join the United States if they want to escape the tariffs. 

‘I say Canada should be our 51st state. There’s no tariffs, no nothing,’ he said last week. 

US Vice President J.D. Vance on Capitol Hill

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a news conference about the US tariffs against Canada

Trump also argues that since the United States pays largely for Canada’s military security, the country should also pay more in tariffs.  

‘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. 

The tariff news triggered a sharp selloff on Wall Street Tuesday as the Dow fell over 500 points. 

Vice President JD Vance told reporters on Capitol Hill Tuesday that Trump would continue to negotiate with Canada as the tariffs went into effect, suggesting that they could get relief if they prevented fentanyl from crossing into the United States. 

‘We need to see real engagement on the fentanyl issue, on the drug issue, that is fundamentally the underlying element of these tariffs, is we think the Canadians have not been serious about struck stopping the drug trade,’ Vance said. 

President Trump will address the United States Congress on Tuesday night, previewing that will not shy away from controversial topics. 

‘TOMORROW NIGHT WILL BE BIG. I WILL TELL IT LIKE IT IS,’ he wrote in all-caps on social media on Monday.