The ongoing feud between President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continued Sunday evening when Trump defined nonreciprocal trade as “fool trade” in a tweet.
Fair Trade is now to be called Fool Trade if it is not Reciprocal. According to a Canada release, they make almost 100 Billion Dollars in Trade with U.S. (guess they were bragging and got caught!). Minimum is 17B. Tax Dairy from us at 270%. Then Justin acts hurt when called out!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2018
“Fair Trade is now to be called Fool Trade if it is not Reciprocal,” Trump tweeted. “According to a Canada release, they make almost 100 Billion Dollars in Trade with U.S. (guess they were bragging and got caught!). Minimum is 17B. Tax Dairy from us at 270%. Then Justin acts hurt when called out!”
In three more tweets several minutes later, Trump stated that an $800 billion trade deficit is not “fair to the PEOPLE of America,” adding that the EU should use that trade surplus to “pay much more” for U.S. military protection. “Change is coming!” he tweeted.
Why should I, as President of the United States, allow countries to continue to make Massive Trade Surpluses, as they have for decades, while our Farmers, Workers & Taxpayers have such a big and unfair price to pay? Not fair to the PEOPLE of America! $800 Billion Trade Deficit…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2018
….And add to that the fact that the U.S. pays close to the entire cost of NATO-protecting many of these same countries that rip us off on Trade (they pay only a fraction of the cost-and laugh!). The European Union had a $151 Billion Surplus-should pay much more for Military!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2018
….Germany pays 1% (slowly) of GDP towards NATO, while we pay 4% of a MUCH larger GDP. Does anybody believe that makes sense? We protect Europe (which is good) at great financial loss, and then get unfairly clobbered on Trade. Change is coming!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 11, 2018
On Saturday, Trump left the G7 summit to travel to Singapore optimistic about how things went. However, after learning that Trudeau criticized U.S. trade policy after the summit, the president used Twitter to fire back at the Canadian PM, calling his actions “dishonest & weak.” (RELATED: Schumer, Pelosi Go Ballistic After Trump Reverses G7 Communique Endorsement)
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro also criticized Trudeau for engaging in “bad faith diplomacy” with President Trump during a “Fox News Sunday” appearance.
“There’s a special place in hell for any foreign leader that engages in bad faith diplomacy with President Donald J. Trump and then tries to stab him in the back on the way out the door,” said Navarro. “And that’s what bad faith Justin Trudeau did with that stunt press conference.”