# The United States Declares Economic War on Canada **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [February 1, 2025, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734 "2025-02-01T21:16:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/1 "2025-02-01T21:16:01Z")
Across the board tariffs of 25% on pretty much all goods imported from Canada. The Prime Minister is meeting with the Premiers and will give an announcement at 6 pm EST. « Louie, this is the end of a beautiful friendship. ». > **[Trump launches trade war against Canada with a 25% tariff on most goods | CBC...](https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7447829)** > > President Donald Trump launched a trade war against Canada on Saturday by imposing a 25 per cent tariff on virtually all goods from the U.S.'s neighbour — an unprecedented strike against a longstanding ally that has the potential to throw the... ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/2 "2025-02-01T21:27:59Z")
Absolute insanity. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/3 "2025-02-01T21:36:16Z")
Trump loves to sign agreements then renege. What do you expect from a thief who refuses to pay his contracted labourers? Hit them back, tighten our belts, and weather the next four years of blind hostile insanity. Also think ahead and open up trade elsewhere. The US as a power is dying and not able to be coherent for longer then 4-8 years. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/4 "2025-02-01T21:40:32Z")
Twist down the spigot on the oil pipe-lines by 25%. You can EFT dosh. Oil needs to be physically delivered. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/5 "2025-02-01T21:42:08Z")
So much damage done for nothing at all. What is the point? You use tariffs (sparingly!!!) to obtain something. Why is he declaring economic war for? What is the goal? When would he declare he has won? Usually more harm has been done by stupidity than by evil ([or so the saying goes, and I am willing to believe it)](https://www.openculture.com/2025/01/the-nature-of-human-stupidity-explained-by-the-48-laws-of-power-author-robert-greene.html). But in this case I fear we have a perfect storm: a mix of both. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/6 "2025-02-01T21:44:38Z")
Why 25% against Canada and Mexico but only ten percent against China? ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/7 "2025-02-01T21:46:53Z")
Trump is wrong to believe tariffs will restore manufacturing, significantly reduce income taxes or make the American economy more productive. It will raise the cost of gas and groceries, strengthen the American dollar, introduce volatility with a moderate effect on market prices and make allies reflect at long last on diversifying markets and where they invest. Also whether even a personally signed contract signed by the American president should be given any degree of trust. This may or may not cause inflation - no one knows. It will certainly cause Canadians to reduce the $500 billion they spend on American products. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/8 "2025-02-01T21:52:22Z")
This is the second time the US has ripped up a written trade agreement with us (both times it was Trump) out of whim and fancy. Canada needs a partner, but the US is not politically stable enough to keep to its word. We are in a new world where agreements mean nothing. Nothing matters to Americans nor to the American government. Wild territory. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/9 "2025-02-01T21:53:09Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > What is the point? You use tariffs (sparingly!!!) to obtain something. Why is he declaring economic war for? _“These potentially devastating tariffs will take effect on Tuesday and remain in place until Trump is satisfied Canada is doing enough to stop the flow of fentanyl into the U.S., the government official said.”_ from the OP cite. However, Canada is not a major source- most comes from Mexico and China. [https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/DEA\_GOV\_DIR-008-20%20Fentanyl%20Flow%20in%20the%20United%20States\_0.pdf](https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-03/DEA_GOV_DIR-008-20%20Fentanyl%20Flow%20in%20the%20United%20States_0.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/10 "2025-02-01T21:56:16Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Why 25% against Canada and Mexico but only ten percent against China? China has nukes and Canada and Mexico don’t? China is ruled by an autocrat and Canada and Mexico aren’t? Trump is a bully and he’s punching the two countries closest to him that are least likely to hit back? > [@DrDeth](#): > > _“These potentially devastating tariffs will take effect on Tuesday and remain in place until Trump is satisfied Canada is doing enough to stop the flow of fentanyl into the U.S., the government official said.”_ from the OP cite. > > However, Canada is not a major source- most comes from Mexico and China. Trump is upset by the fact that so much of the US/Canadian border is unfenced and open. He doesn’t see that sort of peaceful border as a positive, he sees it as a threat. Trump is about _control_. I sincerely and deeply apologize to all Canadians, who have been the very best neighbors any nation could possibly have. I am so very sorry it came to this. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/11 "2025-02-01T22:03:58Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > However, Canada is not a major source- most comes from Mexico and China. Facts don’t matter to Fascist leaders. Trump’s claims have about as much truth as Hitler’s claims about Polish hostilities in September 1939. Doesn’t matter. The lies are what matters. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/12 "2025-02-01T22:09:12Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Facts don’t matter to Fascist leaders. > > Trump’s claims have about as much truth as Hitler’s claims about Polish hostilities in September 1939. Doesn’t matter. > > The lies are what matters. True, However, Canada can just say " we have made fentanyl smuggling a major job for the RCMP" (which of course it already is) and trump will give in. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/13 "2025-02-01T22:23:25Z")
Everyone knows America has the biggest, strongest, most powerful economy in the world. Donald just can’t understand why you’re not using it to rule the world! He’s working on fixing that. What’s he want? Chaos to exploit, conflict to exploit. He’s told so many lies, a big chunk of USA is lapping it up. He discredits the press, very soon no one will trust anything. He wants to overwhelm our dairy industry because they can, he was pissed he was stopped the first time, he’s def got that in his sites. He wants to own the resources of the North, without regard for its historical peoples or the very earth itself. And, of course, he wants water. America is going to need lots of water. It was never about cars and oil, I believe. This is the chaos ground work. Laying the table. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/14 "2025-02-01T22:34:44Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Everyone knows America has the biggest, strongest, most powerful economy in the world. It seems clear that right now,China’s economy is more powerful. They didn’t accomplish that by beating their chests but by working over decades to build their economy. We , on the other hand, charge direction every four years. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/15 "2025-02-01T22:35:54Z")
> [@orcenio](#): > > Nothing matters to Americans It matters to many or most of us a lot. Unfortunately, the stereotype is now ‘All Americans are stupid bigots.’ ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/16 "2025-02-01T22:41:01Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Why 25% against Canada and Mexico but only ten percent against China? Because Trump wants imperial control over North America: Greenland, Canada, Mexico, and then the Panama Canal. All in the name of national security. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/17 "2025-02-01T22:41:15Z")
I hope we retaliate hard and decisively. The Orange Buffoon has threatened to raise tariffs even higher if we try to defend ourselves, but it doesn’t matter any more. If the tariffs force a large swathe of businesses to shut down, then it doesn’t matter how much higher they go – shut down is shut down. Let’s see how Trumpists like it when we cut off their oil and gas. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/18 "2025-02-01T22:42:33Z")
Which Trump would then use as the pretext for the invasion. See: Poland, September 1939 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/19 "2025-02-01T22:48:25Z")
Instead of the Panama Canal, can we seize the Grand Canal in Venice? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/20 "2025-02-01T23:03:33Z")
This tariff obsession is like the old “carpenter joke”: “When your only tool is a hammer, all your problems look like nails.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734.md?page=2)