‘Will charge Canada with 50 per cent tariff if…’: Trump warns Ottawa amid growing ties with China
US President Donald Trump has warned Canada of imposing a 50 per cent tariff and decertifying Canada-based aircraft if Ottawa fails to reverse its stance on aircraft certification and trade engagement with China. The warning comes amid escalating diplomatic tensions, with Trump accusing Canada of undermining US economic and security interests while expanding ties with Beijing.
New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Thursday cautioned Canada that it could face a 50 per cent tariff and the decertification of its aircraft amid escalating tensions between the two countries.
The warning came in response to Canada’s refusal to certify Savannah-based jets as well as aircraft from Georgia-based Gulfstream Aerospace. In a hard-hitting post on Truth Social, Trump wrote, "If, for any reason, the situation is not corrected immediately, I will charge Canada with a 50 per cent tariff and also decertify all Canada-based jets sold in America.”
Backdrop of the tensions
Hours earlier, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney urged Trump to "respect Canadian sovereignty” as discussions emerged about meetings between Alberta separatists and US officials, further deepening diplomatic strains.
Additionally, the US President warned Ottawa of imposing tariffs of up to 100 per cent if Canada proceeded with a trade deal with Beijing. In a social media post, Trump said, "If Governor Carney thinks he is going to make Canada a drop-off port for China to send goods to the US, he is sorely mistaken.”
Will Trump’s proposed tariffs hit Bombardier and Airbus A220s?
Bombardier runs several service centers in the US, including a facility in Wichita, Kansas, where it is advancing its defense business. The US, the world’s largest business aviation market, employs about 3,000 Bombardier workers.
It remains unclear which aircraft, beyond Bombardier’s Global large-cabin jets, would be hit by Trump’s proposed tariffs. This includes Airbus (AIR.PA) A220 jets made in Canada, though most A220s operated by US carriers are produced at Airbus’s Mobile, Alabama, facility.
Are Canada-China relations a concern?
Trump also accused Canada of opposing his proposed "Golden Dome” missile defence system over Greenland while expanding economic engagement with China. "Canada is against The Golden Dome being built over Greenland, even though The Golden Dome would protect Canada,” he wrote, adding, "Instead, they voted in favor of doing business with China, who will ‘eat them up’ within the first year!”
These remarks followed Carney’s recent visit to Beijing aimed at re-establishing economic cooperation with China, Canada’s second-largest trading partner after the United States. During the visit, Carney also criticised US and Western policies while addressing the World Economic Forum in Davos.