Critical trade negotiations between the United States and Canada aimed at preventing sweeping new tariffs on Canadian goods collapsed late Friday, prompting Ottawa to vow “dollar-for-dollar” retaliation.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told reporters that Canada abandoned the negotiating table after days of discussions that had nearly produced an agreement to avert 50 percent tariffs on additional Canadian imports. President Trump had insisted throughout the week that the two nations, embroiled in a trade dispute since last year, were on the verge of a “good deal.”
“Tonight, Canada declined to finalize the trade deal under the terms agreed to earlier this week, despite the U.S. offer to grant Canada the most favorable treatment of any major exporter to our market,” Greer stated during a virtual press briefing.
“New demands and the reversal of prior commitments by Canada have upended the careful balance achieved in recent days,” he added.
In a statement, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney countered that the U.S. introduced last-minute terms that were “unfair, uneconomic, and called into question the reliability of any agreement.”
Carney acknowledged that the talks had yielded important progress but ultimately fell short of meeting Canada’s objectives.
A U.S. official told reporters that Canada sought concessions Washington was unwilling to grant, particularly regarding the automotive sector, steel, aluminum, and lumber.
The official warned that if Canada retaliates, President Trump will be presented with options to “level the playing field once again.”
Shortly before Greer’s briefing, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued guidance to importers confirming that the Canadian products identified by the president would be subject to tariffs effective 12:01 a.m.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
