Trump expresses optimism on Canada trade dispute, says deal may be imminent
Trump signalled a possible near‑term agreement with Canada and said Washington is unlikely to withdraw from the USMCA.
U.S. President Donald Trump expressed optimism about resolving the trade dispute with Canada and downplayed the chance that Washington will withdraw from the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Trump signals a near-term deal but gives few details
Asked during a meeting with Irish prime minister Mihol Martin yesterday in Dublin whether he planned to pull the United States out of the trilateral trade pact, Trump replied: "Everything is going great. We'll have great relations with Mexico. Actually, we have good relations with Canada."
He added that an agreement with Ottawa could be reached "You will probably see a deal with Canada very soon," without specifying if formal negotiations had already resumed. The president reiterated that Canada must improve its treatment of American farmers and remove tariffs on their products that he said reach up to 400 percent.
Analysts warn the dispute has spread beyond tariffs and threatens cross‑border supply chains essential to key industries, above all the automotive sector. Talks on a broader trade deal collapsed at the last minute in August, after which Trump imposed 50 percent tariffs on Canadian goods worth billions of dollars.
On 8 September, Canadian prime minister Mark Karni responded by imposing tariffs on a range of U.S. consumer goods and raising rates on U.S. steel products from 25 to 50 percent. Trump, in turn, announced further measures including bans on some Canadian products.
Both leaders' recent statements have raised hopes for de‑escalation, though observers note the dispute carries political weight for Trump ahead of the congressional elections in November. Mutual tariff measures risk higher consumer prices — a key voter concern that could hurt Republicans in crucial swing states such as Michigan.
Photo: press material from the event
