Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday that he had agreed to string of Donald Trump‘s border demands and won a 30-day reprieve from a raft of hefty tariffs in exchange
He announced he was appointing a fentanyl czar and security officers would keep a 24/7 watch on the border.
‘I just had a good call with President Trump,’ he posted on X.
‘Canada is implementing our $1.3 billion border plan—reinforcing the border with new choppers, technology and personnel, enhanced coordination with our American partners, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl.
‘Nearly 10,000 frontline personnel are and will be working on protecting the border.’
It comes after Trump at the weekend announced he was preparing to slap 25 percent tariffs on imports from north of the border.
Canada said it was preparing tit-for-tat tariffs on American goods.
But that all evaporated after the two leaders spoke by phone.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday announced he and President Donald Trump had reached an agreement to suspend tariffs
Trudeau announced the 30-day pause on the social media platform X
‘This is victory,’ said a senior White House official.
‘There were a lot of doubters out there who seemed to forget we are the world’s biggest economy.’
Hours earlier, Trump paused similar tariffs on Mexico after its president agreed to reinforce its border with 10,000 National Guard members as part of an effort to stem the flow of drugs.
Trump said he would use the one-month pause to engage in further negotiations with Mexico.
‘I look forward to participating in those negotiations, with President Sheinbaum, as we attempt to achieve a ‘deal’ between our two Countries,’ he wrote on Truth Social.
The threats had triggered fears of a global trade war, sending stock markets into steep dives.
And Canada, a longtime ally of Washington, reacted with a mix of disbelief and despair.
In a weekend address, Trudeau spoke of the betrayal that many Canadians were feeling.
Fears of a global trade war sent markets plunging. The UK’s FTSE 100 plunged more than 100 points in early trading on alarm about the wider impact of Trump’s battles
‘We were always there standing with you, grieving with you, the American people,’ he said.
Trump has shown his intent to use the threat of tariffs to get his own way since taking office.
He used them to force Colombia to back down when it refused to allow two military flights to land with their cargo of deportees.
Trudeau on Monday became the third leader to decide that a tariff battle was not a war that he could win.
‘In addition, Canada is making new commitments to appoint a Fentanyl Czar, we will list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24/7 eyes on the border, launch a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering,’ he posted.
‘I have also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl and we will be backing it with $200 million.’
