President Donald Trump has shown he isn’t playing around when it comes to stopping the illegal alien influx and the flow of fentanyl into our country. He’s declared it a “national emergency.”
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He’s determined to stop it, and he’s already having great success at the Southern border. But he’s also trying to get more cooperation from Mexico and Canada to make it happen. He signed executive orders to impose 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada.
So it’s a very simple thought, and you would think they would get it. How about just fixing the border and stopping the flow?
NEW: Trump Follows Through on Holding Canada, Mexico, and China Accountable, Signs EO
But Justin Trudeau just seems to keep digging that hole he’s in deeper. He announced retaliatory tariffs of 25 percent on $155 billion in goods. Except it’s a war he can’t win because we have so much more leverage than he does.
Justin Trudeau gets the smug look wiped off his face.
REPORTER: When did you first learn that President Trump intends to increase tariffs if Canada retaliates and how had that changed your strategy?
Trudeau: (Oh sh*t, did he say that?) Ummmmm… we are not looking to escalate.… pic.twitter.com/oQkUu4LSai
— Bret 🍁 (@Bret_Sears) February 2, 2025
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Reports claimed Trudeau would try to target things that would affect red states to affect Trump allies who might then convince Trump to back off.
The Canadian officials said their choice of goods was meant to be precisely targeted and aimed at political impact. They specifically want to focus on goods made in Republican or swing states, where the pain of tariffs, like pressure on jobs and the bottom lines of local businesses, would affect Trump allies.
Canada’s government hopes that those allies, including governors or members of Congress, would then pick up the phone and call Mr. Trump, intervening in favor of de-escalation.
If he thinks that’s going to work, he’s foolish and doesn’t understand the leverage, red state governors, or Trump.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott let Trudeau know that, big time.
“Careful Trudeau. The Texas economy is larger than Canada’s. And we’re not afraid to use it,” Abbott warned, chastising him. Trudeau doesn’t know about the concept “Don’t mess with Texas.” But he may be about to find out.
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That’s the bottom line here: There is no winning move here for poor Justin. He can only end up caving, and he’s already supposed to be on his way out of his job, having already prospectively resigned because he’s been such a failure. Yet he seems to be determined to cause Canada more trouble on his way out the door. Trudeau had to concede he was open to going forward without tariffs; however, he hadn’t spoken with Trump since the inauguration. Trudeau is about to learn about that acronym: FAFO. That’s ultimately where this is going to end up, no matter how much Trudeau is posturing at the moment, and it will be resolved with Trump getting what we need.
