# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/81 "2025-02-02T03:04:29Z")
The rest of us are perplexed and dismayed that we’re doing something so asinine to one of our two ride-or-die allies that we have in the world (the other being the UK). And who generally plays so nicely with us in trade, culture, etc… I mean, the Canadians I’ve met have been _lovely_ people. From the elderly rural Canadians who lived somewhere outside Edmonton, to their grandson who I went to grad school with, to the delightful couple from Ontario who my family and I sat next to and got to know on our flight to Alaska, they were all terrific. This isn’t fair, and it’s not how you treat friends. Most of us know that, but apparently not all. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/82 "2025-02-02T03:05:49Z")
> [@bump](#): > > And who generally plays so nicely with us in trade, culture, etc… Trump doesn’t play nicely with anyone. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/83 "2025-02-02T03:08:36Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Trump doesn’t play nicely with anyone It is clear that the overall policy of this administration is this: “If you aren’t a wealthy white Christian cis male American who voted for Trump, and gives money to Trump, then _ **fuck you** _.” ---
**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 2, 2025, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/84 "2025-02-02T03:13:58Z")
> [@bump](#): > > It’s almost some sort of manufactured grievance about how NAFTA or its successor gave the US a raw deal. Wait… Wasn’t NAFTA’s successor a _Trump_ thing? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/85 "2025-02-02T03:23:09Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Wasn’t NAFTA’s successor a _Trump_ thing? Yes, indeed, it was. > **[United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States%E2%80%93Mexico%E2%80%93Canada_Agreement)** > > The Agreement between the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada (USMCA)\[Note 1\] is a free trade agreement among the United States, Mexico, and Canada. It replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) implemented in 1994, and is sometimes characterized as "NAFTA 2.0", or "New NAFTA", since it largely maintains or updates the provisions of its predecessor. USMCA is one of the world's largest free trade zones, with a population of more than 510 mi All sides came to a formal agree... ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/86 "2025-02-02T03:23:39Z")
> [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > No, about 80 million Americans No, they personally have no beef with Canada. They just voted for the guy who lies and said he’d end inflation and give them cheaper eggs. Starting an economic war with Canada wasnt part of his campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/87 "2025-02-02T03:25:38Z")
> [@Pardel-Lux](#): > > 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? NYT: “To Trump, Tariffs Are Not a Means but an End.” Trump thinks tariffs are a good way of raising revenue: he maintains the burden falls on foreigners. Economists disagree, but the only experts Trump listens to are legal ones. Sometimes. Trump also cares about the stock market. I say he might cave if it enters correction territory next week. ETA: > [@DrDeth](#): > > No, they personally have no beef with Canada. They just voted for the guy who lies and said he’d end inflation and give them cheaper eggs. Starting an economic war with Canada wasnt part of his campaign. Nor were 25% tariffs: Trump promised 10% tariffs across the board with 60% on China. Now Trump is going easy on China and hitting the US’s most faithful allies hard. I don’t see any protests about this though. Canada needs to review its security posture. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/88 "2025-02-02T03:31:10Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > 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. I want to echo this and humbly apologize as well for the insanity, stupidity, and cruelty that seem to animate so many of your neighbors to the south. It must be like living next to a meth lab + crack house. > [@wolfpup](#): > > Let’s see how Trumpists like it when we cut off their oil and gas. I live in mostly blue New England. If/when you folks shut off the electric power from Quebec, we’re going to suffer too. Though I can’t blame you for doing it, if that happens. ---
**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 2, 2025, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/89 "2025-02-02T03:49:32Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > > [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > > > No, about 80 million Americans > > No, they personally have no beef with Canada. They just voted for the guy who lies and said he’d end inflation and give them cheaper eggs. Starting an economic war with Canada wasnt part of his campaign. Oh contraire. If annexing Canada gave them cheaper eggs, then they’d up there driving the chuck wagon. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/90 "2025-02-02T03:51:45Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > If/when you folks shut off the electric power from Quebec, we’re going to suffer too. Though I can’t blame you for doing it, if that happens. More likely is higher electric rates. Trudeau probably thinks electricity cutoff would alienate potentially pro-Canadian Americans (obviously does not apply to you), and raise the possibility of the U.S. increasing the tariff above 25 percent. Trump could even use electricity cutoff as an excuse for a U.S. invasion of Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/91 "2025-02-02T03:53:08Z")
> [@orcenio](#): > > 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. Not only is the United States an unreliable partner, but it is actively trying to harm some of its staunchest allies. The rest of the world cannot trust us and should avoid entering any sort of agreement with us insomuch as that’s possible. I fully expect Canada and other nations to make other arrangements both militarily and economically in a direction away from the U.S. Trump is making the United States weaker both economically and militarily. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/92 "2025-02-02T04:15:45Z")
> [@orcenio](#): > > Hit them back, tighten our belts, and weather the next four years of blind hostile insanity. Also think ahead and open up trade elsewhere. We will be invaded long before that, man. > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Trudeau probably thinks electricity cutoff would alienate potentially pro-Canadian Americans (obviously does not apply to you), and raise the possibility of the U.S. increasing the tariff above 25 percent. Trump could even use electricity cutoff as an excuse for a U.S. invasion of Canada. And of course, Canada will need cash to help its citizens, and higher electricity rates mean more cash. I mean, why cut off one of the things with the lowest elasticity of demand? Jack the rates, keep the money. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/93 "2025-02-02T04:18:06Z")
> [@penultima\_thule](#): > > Oh contraire. > If annexing Canada gave them cheaper eggs, then they’d up there driving the chuck wagon. Oh yeah, I completely agree. Of course between Trump’s evisceration of our public health infrastructure and the fact that wars tend to spread disease and promote epidemics, invading Canada will only make the bird flu problem worse. And that won’t lower the price of eggs. ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/94 "2025-02-02T04:18:12Z")
Because if prices went up on almost everything in Walmart by 25% overnight the public would instantly freak out. Other supply lines will take longer to show effect. May be a smaller portion of a product or service. Made in Canada is a smaller portion of what a US consumer buys right off the shelf. ---
**Author:** ![Kedikat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed655f/32.png) [@Kedikat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kedikat)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/95 "2025-02-02T04:29:15Z")
Also Canada and Mexico export a larger portion of their product to the US. It hurts them more. US is about 15% of China exports. It would hurt China less, US more. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/96 "2025-02-02T04:31:31Z")
I’m going to quote Milton Friedman, because when someone I so thoroughly disagrees with is onto something I do agree with, it’s not just my own opinion of where this leading. “_Inflation is a monetary phenomenon. But hyperinflation is always and everywhere a political phenomenon, in the sense that it cannot occur without a fundamental malfunction of a country’s political economy._” ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/97 "2025-02-02T04:34:32Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > “_Inflation is a monetary phenomenon. But hyperinflation is always and everywhere a political phenomenon, in the sense that it cannot occur without a fundamental malfunction of a country’s political economy._” This is why I’m going to Costco first thing in the morning. ---
**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 2, 2025, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/98 "2025-02-02T04:36:50Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > “_Inflation is a monetary phenomenon. But hyperinflation is always and everywhere a political phenomenon, in the sense that it cannot occur without a fundamental malfunction of a country’s political economy._” What Trump has going for him is that a large economy like that in the US has a tremendous amount of inertia – it takes time for the Orange Wrecking Ball to wreak its havoc. By the time he’s caused the US economy to collapse, Trump, if still alive, will be out of office and will be holding rallies blaming the (likely) Democratic president for the disaster he caused. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/99 "2025-02-02T04:38:52Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > By the time he’s caused the US economy to collapse, Trump, if still alive, will be out of office The pain is gonna start a lot sooner than that. This could cause every auto assembly plant in America to shut down in a month. ---
**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 2, 2025, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734/100 "2025-02-02T04:40:50Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Not AmericanS. One American. Sorry, I’d missed all the Congress reps and Senators who are trying to stop him. Could you point me to that list? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-united-states-declares-economic-war-on-canada/1013734.md?page=6)