Trump to talk tariffs with leaders of Canada and Mexico: 'They owe us a lot of money'

 

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said he will talk to leaders from Canada and Mexico on Monday, a day before the 25% tariffs he imposed on the country's top two trading partners go into effect.

Within hours of Trump’s Saturday order, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hit back with tit-for-tat retaliatory 25% tariffs on American goods. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said she was considering "tariff and non-tariff measures in defense of Mexico's interests."

"I'm speaking with Prime Minister Trudeau tomorrow morning and I'm also speaking with Mexico tomorrow morning," Trump said Sunday, as he landed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, after flying back from his Florida home. "They owe us a lot of money, and I'm sure they're going to pay."

Trump has said tariffs are a way to force the countries to stop the flow of migrants and fentanyl across the borders and into the U.S. Tariffs have been central to Trump’s economic strategy, leaning on them to increase tax revenue and protect jobs. He also views them as tools to aid negotiations with various countries.

On Sunday, Trump also said he wanted the countries to "balance out their trade, number one."

According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the U.S. goods trade deficit with Canada was $80.1 billion in 2022, a 68% increase over 2021. Meanwhile, the trade deficit with Mexico stood at $131.1 billion in 2022, a 24% increase over 2021.