Former US President Donald Trump stirred up some trouble with Canada in a recent social media post. He poked fun at the country and its leader, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, at a tough time for him. Trudeau is dealing with a big political mess after Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland suddenly quit her job.
In his post on Truth Social, Trump questioned why the US gives Canada more than $100 million a year. He jokingly suggested that many Canadians want their country to become the 51st state of the USA so they could save money on taxes and get military help for free. This isn’t the first time Trump has joked about Canada joining the US; he first made the comment during a casual dinner with Trudeau.
However, many people have pointed out that Trump’s claim about the $100 million is unclear. He has even claimed before that the US gives Canada $100 billion in subsidies. According to US Census data, Canada has a trade deficit with the US of $50.5 billion as of October 2023, and it was $64.3 billion last year. Trump often talks about this trade imbalance, saying Canada makes almost $100 billion from trade with the US.
In a gathering for his Liberal Party on Tuesday, Trudeau tried to stay calm. He compared their disagreements to family fights during the holidays, hinting at the chaos following Freeland’s resignation. Freeland, who played a key role as the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, called the Canadian political scene “toxic” in her resignation letter and asked for stronger leadership. Her leaving is a big hit for Trudeau, who relied on her as a strong partner during trade talks with the US.
Trump quickly reacted to Freeland’s resignation, calling her “totally toxic” in a previous message.
The loss of someone like Freeland makes things even tougher for Trudeau. While he downplayed the impact of her resignation, political experts believe it shows deeper problems in his government. Trudeau has been facing criticism over how he has handled issues at home and abroad, and Freeland’s exit may give more courage to those who oppose him.
As these events unfold, Trump’s comments add extra confusion to Canada’s political situation. For Trudeau, the priority now is to stabilize his leadership and win back the trust of his party and the public.
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