President-elect Donald Trump went on Truth Social to ridicule Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after his finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, resigned.

“The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau,” Trump wrote. “Her behavior was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be missed!!!”

Trump’s remarks came amid high tensions between Washington and Ottawa after he threatened to impose a 25% tariff on all Canadian products sent to America.

Canada is a significant trading partner of America, accounting for nearly 15% of U.S. trade volume. Canada is very dependent on international trade, with 75% of its exports going to the U.S., so higher tariffs will have a significant impact on Canada’s economy.

According to Fox News, Trudeau reportedly pleaded with the president-elect not to implement the new levy during a dinner at Mar-a-Lago in November. He warned him that it would “kill” Canada’s economy.

During a news conference before the dinner, the Canadian prime minister warned that the tariffs would be “harming Canadians” and “raising prices for American citizens.”

“One of the things that is really important to understand is that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out. There’s no question about it,” he also stated. “Our responsibility is to point out that in this way he would be actually not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States; he’d actually be raising prices for American citizens as well and hurting American industry and businesses.”

Freeland, who was not invited to travel with the prime minister, seemed unimpressed with Trudeau’s appearance at Mar-a-Lago, warning against “expensive political stunts” after he posted a smiling photo of himself and Trump. 

He also told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that he promised Trump that Canada would shore up border security and surveillance.

In her resignation letter on Monday, Freeland slammed Trudeau for how he dealt with the threat of tariffs.

“For the past number of weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada,” she wrote in the letter. “Our country today faces a grave challenge. The incoming administration in the United States is pursuing a policy of aggressive economic nationalism, including a threat of 25% tariffs.”

“We need to take that threat extremely seriously,” she said. “That means keeping our fiscal powder dry today so we have the reserves we may need for a coming tariff war. That means eschewing costly political gimmicks, which we can ill afford and which make Canadians doubt that we recognize the gravity of the moment.”

“That means pushing back against ‘America First’ economic nationalism with a determined effort to fight for capital and investment and the jobs they bring,” Freeland said. “That means working in good faith and humility with the Premiers of the provinces and territories of our great and diverse country and building a true Team Canada response.”

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Article by Alessio Atria

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