Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Florida just days after the president-elect threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian goods.
In a post on TruthSocial Saturday afternoon, Trump called the conversation "very productive" and said the two leaders "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."
"I made it very clear that the United States will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic, caused mainly by the Drug Cartels, and Fentanyl pouring in from China. Too much death and hardship! Prime Minister Trudeau has made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of U.S. Families," the president-elect added in his post.
Trudeau posted a photo of him and Trump Saturday afternoon, thanking the president-elect for meeting with him.
"Thanks for dinner last night, President Trump. I look forward to the work we can do together, again," Trudeau said on X.
On Saturday morning, Trudeau said he had had “an excellent conversation” with Trump. The Canadian leader walked out of the hotel in West Palm where he had spent the night when reporters asked whether the two had discussed tariffs.
Trudeau’s plane landed Friday evening at Palm Beach International Airport, which is used by Trump when he travels to his Mar-a-Lago estate.
Pictures posted on social media late Friday evening by Pennsylvania senator-elect David McCormick and Donald Trump Jr.’s fiancé Kimberly Guilfoyle showed Trump and Trudeau sitting side by side at a dinner table, accompanied by other guests including North Dakota governor Doug Burgum.
A Mar-a-Lago trip was not included in the Canadian leader’s public itinerary for Friday. Trump office was not immediately available for comment.
The two men spoke on the phone earlier this week after Trump announced his tariff plan. Trudeau said that the pair had a "good call" and talked about "some of the challenges that we can work on together."
Trump said last week on Truth Social that one of his first executive orders would be to hit Mexico and Canada with a blanket 25% tariff.
“This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” Trump said in the post.
President Joe Biden criticized Trump’s announcement, saying the comments were “counterproductive.”
“I hope he rethinks it, and I think it’s a counterproductive thing to do,” Biden said, responding to a reporter’s question about his reaction.
Mexico and Canada are the second and third top suppliers of goods to the U.S., according to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, accounting for nearly 30% of trade volumes. Canada sends about 75% of its total exports to the U.S.
The vehicles, dairy, paper products, and building supplies such as wood that would be affected.
The U.S. imports the most goods from China.
Trump has frequently promised to implement more tariffs during his campaign, especially on China. Some economists have criticized the possibility of steep tariffs, arguing that the cost would ultimately be passed on to consumers.
