Hours after the Trump administration imposed a 25% tariff on all Canadian imports to the U.S., Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau spoke directly to President Donald Trump during a news conference Tuesday.

“It’s not in my habit to agree with The Wall Street Journal, but, Donald, they point out that even though you’re a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do,” he said.

What You Need To Know

  • Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that the 25% tariffs the Trump administration imposed on Canada Tuesday are "a very dumb thing to do"

  • He said the U.S. and Canada should be working together to ensure greater prosperity for North Americans in a very uncertain and challenging world

  • Speaking directly to Americans, he said: "We don't want this. We want to work with you as a friend and ally. And we don't want to see you hurt either, but your government has chosen to do this to you"

  • There are no winners in a trade war, he added

Trudeau praised Trump for working with Canada to sign a historic trade deal that created record jobs and growth in both countries, he said, referencing the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement the countries signed in 2020.

“Now we should be working together to ensure even greater prosperity for North Americans in a very uncertain and challenging world," the Canadian leader said.

Striking a firmer tone against the U.S. as his tenure winds down, Trudeau condemned Trump for launching a trade war with Canada and aligning instead with Russia. He said the tariffs were not at all justified, especially after Canada agreed to implement more border controls last month to stave off Trump’s threatened tariffs.

“Even the excuse that he’s giving for these tariffs today of fentanyl is completely bogus, completely unjustified, completely false, so we have to fall back on the one thing he’s said repeatedly: that he wants to see a total collapse of the Canadian economy because that will make it easier to annex us,” Trudeau said.

“First of all, that’s never going to happen. We will never be the 51st state," Trudeau continued. "But yeah, he can do damage to the Canadian economy, and he started this morning.”

Canada responded by imposing tariffs on $30 billion of American goods immediately. Trudeau said he will impose tariffs on another $125 billion of American products in 21 days.

Trump answered on Truth Social, writing, "Please explain to Governor Trudeau, of Canada, that when he puts on a Retaliatory Tariff on the U.S., our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount!"

Speaking directly to the American people, Trudeau apologized.

“We don’t want this. We want to work with you as a friend and ally,” he said. “And we don’t want to see you hurt, either, but your government has chosen to do this to you.”

Trudeau said inflation will rise dramatically in the U.S. as a result of the tariffs and that American jobs are at risk because they depend on materials from Canada, consumers in Canada or both.

In response to the tariffs, he said Canada is also filing a dispute resolution with the World Trade Organization and through the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

Trudeau said he is in active and ongoing discussions with Canadian provinces and territories to pursue non-tariff measures that will demonstrate there are no winners in a trade war. He is encouraging Canadians to not vacation in the U.S. or to buy American products, such as bourbon.

The most important thing for Canada right now is ensuring Canadians remain united, he said.

“As we go through the pain that these American tariffs will inflict on our economy, on our workplaces, on Canadian families, we will be able to say this is happening to us by the decisions of a different government,” he said. “As American families suffer the impact of these tariffs of this trade war with Canada, they will be saying this is happening because our own government is choosing to do it to us.”

The prime minister said Canada is focused on getting the tariffs lifted as soon as possible.