US President Donald Trump has announced that Canada’s recognition of a Palestinian state will make it “very hard” for the US to reach a trade agreement with its northern neighbor. The move comes as Trump seeks to use his trade war to coerce countries on unrelated issues.
Earlier this week, Trump had been ambivalent about British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza. However, after Canada announced its support for the Palestinian state, Trump took to Twitter to express his displeasure and threaten tariffs against Canadian goods.
Trump has set a looming deadline of Friday for trade talks with Canada, threatening to impose a 35% tariff on Canadian imports if no deal is reached. The US president has also hinted that similar recognition by other countries, such as France and the UK, will be used as leverage in future trade negotiations.
The decision by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney comes amid a broader global shift against Israel’s policies in Gaza. Trump has previously expressed concerns about recognizing a Palestinian state, citing Hamas’ involvement in the conflict.
This move adds to the complex reasons behind Trump’s trade war, which he claims is aimed at stopping human trafficking, preventing fentanyl smuggling, balancing the budget and protecting US manufacturing.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-palestinians-canada-d5613417c217374352305564c6a96842