During a two-day visit to Ireland, Donald Trump met with Martin at Farmleigh House in Dublin and told reporters a new trade agreement with Canada could come fairly soon; he expressed optimism about resolving the trade war with Canada but provided no details into whether formal talks had resumed.
The US president actively avoided giving a direct response on whether Canada wanted to reach a deal with Washington while asserting that he was pushing for good relations for US farmers.
In this connection, Trump said: “ Canada has to treat our farmers better, and they can’t charge our farmers tariffs. They’re charging our farmers 400% tariffs and many other things, so when those things go away, they’re willing to get rid of it all.”
The US and Canada have been locked in a rapidly escalating conflict that goes beyond tariffs imperiling international supply chains relied on by key industries like auto manufacturing.
For those unversed, talks in August on a broader trade deal collapsed at the last minute leading Trump to follow through threats to hit Canada with 50% taxes on billions of dollars in goods. Prime Minister Mark Carney countered by raising trade barriers on many US steel products to 50% from 25%.
The spat has high stakes for Trump whose Republican Party struggles to hold power of Congress into November’s midterm elections.
Trump’s trade war with Canada also risks aggravating high prices that have become a major concern for the electorate; moreover Republicans in key border states like Michigan which is host to a crucial Senate race face potential backlash.
