WASHINGTON, July 22 — US President Donald Trump has justified recently announced higher tariffs on Canadian goods by claiming Canada has treated the US unfairly, saying the country had been “very, very tough” on US farmers and other citizens over many years.
Trump made the remarks at a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at the White House on Tuesday, reported German news agency dpa.
Trump stressed that he loved Canada and its people, but said the Canadian leadership had treated the US badly for decades. He also claimed Canada was economically dependent on the United States. “Without us, there’s no way they can survive,” the Republican president said.
Trump also rejected the suggestion that the new tariffs were linked to the Canadian wildfires. Smoke from the fires repeatedly drifts into the northern US, affecting air quality there. Trump had previously accused Canada of mismanaging its forests – a charge Canadian politicians have rejected.
He repeated the criticism at Tuesday’s meeting but stressed it was a separate matter. The smoke had severely affected New York and the US state of Michigan, among other areas, he said.
