Trump unleashes shock 50% tariffs on Canada in explosive trade war over wine, cars and hockey sticks

Donald Trump revived his trade war with Canada on Monday, imposing a 50 percent tariff on most Canadian goods to America’s neighbors to the north.

The tariffs would go into effect within 30 days and cover “a range of products from wine to hockey sticks to cement,” the White House said in a memo.

Trump also asked aides to review additional tariffs on Canada because wildfires were harming air quality in the U.S. after Trump said they were “coming in and poisoning our air,” the official said.

This comes after the President declared that Canada unfairly discriminates against American automobiles, alcohol and dairy products.

The move could unleash a new wave of economic chaos, with risks of higher inflation and further fraying of relations between the two countries, which were closely knit before Trump’s return to the White House.

The administration official previewing the action said Canada was one of the only countries other than China to retaliate against Trump’s previous tariffs and should be held accountable.

The official insisted on anonymity in a call with reporters to preview the president’s actions and said Trump signed three proclamations to initiate tariffs under Section 338 of the 1930 Trade Act.

Last year, several Democratic lawmakers proposed removing the section, saying Trump could use it to destabilize the economy.

The 50 percent tariffs would exclude energy products, potash, fish and critical minerals, but would include goods previously protected from import duties by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA.

The president declared Monday that Canada unfairly discriminates against American cars, alcohol and dairy products

This 2020 trade deal recently expired, triggering a new set of negotiations that could continue until 2036.

“Canada believes in the benefits of free and fair trade, as evidenced by our new government’s signing of more than 20 new economic and security partnerships,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in his statement.

‘This trade dispute has increased costs for families, especially in the US. “Canada stands ready to work intensively to resolve outstanding issues with the United States for the mutual benefit of our citizens,” he added.

‘Canada will work tirelessly under all circumstances and take whatever action is necessary to strengthen our strength at home and support Canadian workers, farmers, businesses and families.’

Ontario Premier Doug Ford saw a potential showdown ahead.

“If these tariffs continue, Canada must respond tariff for tariff, dollar for dollar,” Ford said on social media.

Recently, Trump was demanding Canada and Carney pay ‘damages’ after wildfires spread across America.

Trump announced Sunday night that he had spoken to the prime minister about wildfires in Ontario that have caused massive plumes of smoke to blanket cities across the United States.

Donald Trump with Mark Carney, Melania Trump and Mexican leader Claudia Sheinbaum at the World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday. President says he told Canada’s prime minister to ‘pay some compensation’ for wildfire smoke

The president said the speech at the World Cup final went well, ‘But I said to him, ‘You have to stop these fires from coming and poisoning our air.’ Our air is poisoned.

“I have a good relationship with Mark Carney, but you know, we’ve got to stop the fires out there,” Trump said.

‘If we can help them, we will help them; But maybe they should pay us some compensation or something [we] “I have to make some tariffs,” he threatened.

Trump called the smoke “terrible,” specifically drawing attention to the situation in Detroit, Michigan, where assembly line workers at Ford Motor’s Michigan Assembly Plant were sent by ambulance to nearby hospitals on Thursday. According to the Detroit Free Press.

However, poor air quality was also felt in other parts of the country; Smoky conditions were also felt in Washington, DC and New York City on Thursday evening.

Trump himself likely experienced the smoky conditions in the capital as he traveled to New York City for a business dinner Friday evening as the National Weather Service issued air quality alerts in at least 16 states.

The president made his first threat later that day to impose tariffs on the United States’ northern neighbor.

“We hold Canada responsible for not properly maintaining their forests and bushlands,” he wrote on Truth Social Friday.

Recently, Trump was demanding Canada and Carney pay ‘damages’ after wildfires spread across America.

The wildfires began when the July 6 storm caused more than 1,000 lightning strikes in Northeast Minnesota and Canada.

Trump added that the United States is “invaded by polluted, polluted and unhealthy air that is dangerous and completely unacceptable.”

He claimed ‘the cost was incalculable’ and promised to call Carney to demand answers.

“This is willful negligence and has become an annual occurrence, costing the United States billions of dollars; the cost of this pollution must necessarily be added to the tariffs Canada currently pays,” Trump said.

At Sunday’s World Cup final, Trump watched the match with Carney, who openly challenged the U.S. president and sought to expand Canada’s trade relations with other countries.

The Trump administration official said their time together at the game was not a working visit to discuss trade and tariffs.

In his statements, Trump claims that Canada discriminates against American cars, alcohol, and cheese compared to other nations; but his claim is based largely on retaliatory actions taken by Canada after the US president imposed tariffs on Canada under the pretext that he needed to do more to stop fentanyl smuggling.

In his auto declaration, Trump noted that Canada is maintaining a 25 percent tariff on imports of U.S. motor vehicles that do not qualify for preferential treatment under the USMCA starting in April 2025.

Its alcohol-related announcement notes that Canadian provinces and territories halted the purchase and retail sale of American alcoholic beverages last year; this was also a response to Trump’s tariffs and taunts about making Canada the 51st state.

But Trump has long opposed Canada’s treatment of U.S. cheese, saying in his statement that Canada discriminates against the U.S. compared to Europe when it comes to dairy products.

Trump and Carney have had a frosty relationship, with Carney, the former central banker who won the premiership last year promising to defend Canada.

At the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland in January, Carney called out Trump without naming him and said that the ‘most powerful’ countries were using the economy to pressure less powerful countries.

Trump responded at the time: ‘Canada lives because of the United States.’