Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau landed at Palm Beach International Airport on Friday evening for a meeting with newly elected President Donald Trump.
On Monday, Trump announced on Truth Social that he wanted to impose a 25 percent import tax on Canada — as well as Mexico — to put pressure on America’s neighbors to do more to control illegal immigration coming across the U.S. border .
Two hours later, Trudeau called Trump, with the two leaders having a constructive conversation about trade and border security.
Now it appears that the Canadian Prime Minister will make a personal plea.
Earlier this week, Trudeau told reporters that Canada should take Trump’s tariff threat seriously.
“One of the things that’s really important to understand is that when Donald Trump makes statements like this, he intends to carry them out,” Trudeau said. according to the Globe and Mail. “There’s no doubt about it.”
“Our responsibility is to point out that in this way he would not only harm Canadians who work so well with the United States, but also raise prices for American citizens and harm American industry and businesses.” Trudeau added.
The president-elect touted tariffs during his 2024 campaign as a way to bend other countries to his will, though critics pointed out that the cost of import taxes is typically passed on to consumers.
Trump won a second term in part because he promised to be better for the economy than President Joe Biden and later Vice President Kamala Harris, as Americans continue to feel financially challenged by high prices in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau landed at Palm Beach International Airport on Friday evening for a meeting with newly elected President Donald Trump
A photo of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s plane on the tarmac Friday evening at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida – a short drive from Mar-a-Lago
The Republican also won because of his tougher stance on immigration.
The threat of 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico, Trump suggested, would push those countries to better control the flow of people across the U.S. border.
He asserted that Canada and Mexico had “the absolute right and power to easily resolve this long-dormant problem.”
The tariffs, Trump said, would apply to “ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculously open borders.”
“This tariff will remain in effect until drugs, especially Fentanyl, and all illegal aliens stop this invasion of our country!” Trump exclaimed.
President-elect Donald Trump (center) seen with Melania Trump (left) and followed by Elon Musk (right) on Thanksgiving at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida
Trump held court at Mar-a-Lago all week over the Thanksgiving holiday and also spent hours at his nearby golf club in West Palm Beach.
On Wednesday evening, he hosted Facebook founder and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for dinner after spending the afternoon playing a round of golf.
He had a packed house at Mar-a-Lago for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Social media posts showed billionaire Elon Musk in close company with newly elected President Melania and Barron.
Tiffany Trump, who is expecting her first child, was also spotted, along with brother Eric and sister-in-law Lara, who co-chaired the Republican National Committee this cycle.
In addition, actor Sylvester Stallone was present.