ELBOWS UP

The White House website says, "While President Trump gave both Canada and Mexico ample opportunity to curb the dangerous cartel activity and influx of lethal drugs flowing into our country, they have failed to adequately address the situation."

Here's the truth: Less than 1% of fentanyl and illegal crossings into the United States come from Canada, and the Canadian government nevertheless launched a $1.3 billion border plan with new helicopters, boots on the ground, more coordination, a new fentanyl czar, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl.

January 6, 2025: Then President-Elect Trump posted on social media that Canada is "constantly surrounded" by Chinese and Russian ships and if Canada became the 51st state, "they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them."

Here's the truth: A few Russian and Chinese military and research vessels have been spotted in the waters off Alaska. CNN reports that the Canadian government warned about "potential threats" including "increased Russian activity in Canadian air approaches" and China's dual-use research vessels. But that's not the same as being "surrounded."

January 7, 2025: Then President-Elect Trump claimed that the US trade deficit with Canada is $200 billion.

Here's the truth: In 2024, our trade deficit with Canada was actually $63.3 billion, and our trade relationships with Canada cross all industries. We are each one of the other's most important trading partners.

January 9, 2025: President Trump said, "They should be the 51st state, really; they would make a great state and the people of Canada like it."

Here's the truth: The Canadian public overwhelmingly opposes this idea. The Leger poll, earlier in March, showed 85% of Canadians are opposed. CTV reported, "The rejection appears clear across all regions, political parties and age groups."

March 6, 2025: President Trump posted, "I think that Justin Trudeau is using the Tariff problem, which he has largely caused, in order to run again for Prime Minister."

Here's the truth: Trudeau had already announced in January that he would step down once his successor in the Liberal Party was chosen; he had no intention of running again. Something Trump apparently cannot understand.

March 7, 2025: President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that Canada hiked its dairy tariffs during the Biden administration, saying he had Canada dairy-tariff situation "well taken care of" when he left office.

Here's the truth: Canada did not raise dairy tariffs during the Biden administration; Trump was denouncing tariffs that were part of a free trade agreement he signed in 2018.

March 11, 2025: On TruthSocial, the President shared a long post that called Canada, "ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD," and that "I will substantially increase, on April 2nd, the Tariffs on Cars coming into the U.S. which will, essentially, permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada."

Here's the truth: Canada has relatively low tariffs, coming in at 102nd-highest on a World Bank list of 137 countries. The President chooses not to understand that almost no cars are made in North America in isolation; parts made in one nation are moved in order to assemble in another.

Directly addressing President Trump on March 4th, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the tariffs were a "very dumb thing to do," and suggested that Trump was trying to orchestrate "a total collapse of the Canadian economy because that will make it easier to annex us".

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum likewise said there was "no motive, no reason, no justification" for Trump's move.

May 6, 2025: The American President claims that the United States is subsidizing Canada, and that the US doesn't need anything Canada has to offer, "other than their friendship."

Here's the truth: In 2023, the US imported 1.24 million vehicles from Canada, and the auto industry is highly interconnected, particularly between Detroit, MI and Windsor, ON. In 2022, the US imported 60% of its heavy crude oil imported from Canada, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In 2021, the US imported $28 billion worth of lumber from Canada, representing nearly half of lumber imports.

Source: New York Times