Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau traveled to Florida on Friday to meet former President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate for a dinner, amidst growing concerns over potential tariffs on Canadian imports. The unannounced meeting came at a time when both Canada and Mexico have been scrambling to mitigate the impact of Trump’s trade threats, which experts have warned could severely affect US consumers as well.
Trudeau was spotted leaving a hotel in West Palm Beach before heading to Mar-a-Lago, marking his latest high-profile meeting with Trump. The dinner took place as Trump’s second presidential term, set to begin in January, casts a shadow over the final months of President Joe Biden’s administration.
The visit follows a statement from Trump earlier this week, where he threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports, as well as a 10% tariff on goods from China. Trump justified the tariffs by accusing these countries of failing to address the “invasion” of the United States by drugs, especially fentanyl, and undocumented migrants.
While Trump’s threats sparked alarm among major US trading partners, including Canada, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also spoke with Trump, but their accounts of the conversation differed. Trump claimed that Sheinbaum had agreed to stop migration through Mexico to the US, but Sheinbaum denied this, emphasizing long-standing US-supported anti-migration policies in Mexico.
For Canada, the stakes are high, with over three-quarters of its exports—worth C$592.7 billion—going to the US. A significant portion of Canadian jobs depends on trade with the US. In response, Trudeau has warned that Trump’s tariff threats are likely not just rhetoric, signaling that Canada may consider retaliatory tariffs. The meeting in Florida highlights the tense and uncertain future of trade relations between Canada and the United States.
Trudeau’s plane was tracked landing at Palm Beach International Airport, and Canadian public broadcaster CBC reported that Trudeau was accompanied by Canada’s Public Safety Minister, Dominic LeBlanc.
