Facing a possible tariff war, John Bolton, former national security adviser to US President-elect Donald Trump, says “Canada is in a difficult position,” in part due to the resignation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the impending election. general.
“(Canada will not) have elections until later this year. The Liberal Party has to elect a new leader,” Bolton said in an interview with CTV’s Power Play on Thursday. “Trump doesn’t like Chrystia Freeland either. That could help her get elected, I suppose, but either way, there is the possibility of an election and a change of government. So this is not going to be pleasant.”
Trump has threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian goods imported into the United States if Canada does not take action to address the flow of illegal drugs and migrants across their shared border. Senior government sources told CTV News that the federal government is preparing a list of U.S. products to be retaliated against, which could include U.S. steel products and Florida orange juice.
The likelihood of tariffs being imposed is ‘very substantial’
Bolton served as national security adviser from 2018 to 2019 during Trump’s first term as president.
In a previous interview with CTV last month, Bolton said Trudeau would have to “kiss the ring” to achieve smoother bilateral relations with Trump.
When asked by host Vassy Kapelos if that approach is still worth pursuing, Bolton said Trump “doesn’t like Justin Trudeau” and “thinks he’s a Twinkie.”
“I wish I could be more optimistic, but Trump is on track to impose tariffs,” Bolton said, adding that “no one has yet found a way to dissuade him from doing so.”
Asked about the likelihood of tariffs being imposed, Bolton said “it’s very substantial.”
“I think it’s a mistake to listen to what Trump says and assume that there’s a logical connection between the reasons he says he wants to do something and what he really has in mind,” Bolton said.
In response to Trump’s threat and concerns about border security, Canada has announced a $1.3 billion border plan. But so far, Canada has received no assurances from the incoming Trump administration that the tariffs can be avoided.
Bolton also added that Trump “doesn’t understand how tariffs work.”
“I was in the room when they explained it to him and he doesn’t understand it, but he likes the tariffs,” Bolton said.
Bolton on threat from 51st state: ‘I wouldn’t take it seriously’
On Tuesday, Trump escalated his ongoing desire to make Canada the 51st state, saying he would use “economic force” to annex the country.
“If we get rid of that artificially drawn line and see what it looks like, it would also be much better for national security… We basically protect Canada,” Trump said during a wide-ranging news conference in March. a-Lago.
Asked by Kapelos how Canada should interpret those comments, Bolton said: “I wouldn’t take them seriously.”
“I think he’s still trolling Canada. I think he doesn’t like Justin Trudeau. He hasn’t liked him since the G7 meeting in Charlevoix, so he enjoys mocking him when Trudeau’s political career ends, calling him Governor Trudeau in the 51st state,” Bolton said.
Hours after Trump’s comments on Tuesday, Trudeau posted on X, saying there is “not the slightest chance of Canada becoming part of the United States.”
In an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on Thursday, Trudeau went further and said “that’s not going to happen.”
Trudeau also said he believes Trump’s persistent references to Canadian sovereignty are designed to distract from tariff talks.
“What I think is happening in this is that President Trump, who is a very skilled negotiator, is getting people a little distracted by that conversation,” Trudeau told Tapper, adding that “the 25 percent tariffs on oil and gas, and electricity, and “Steel and aluminum, lumber and concrete, and everything that American consumers buy in Canada will suddenly become much more expensive if it moves forward with these tariffs.”
With files from Spencer Van Dyk and Rachel Aiello of CTV News
