WASHINGTON (Press TV) — U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that Canada’s recognition of Palestinian statehood is complicating efforts to secure a trade deal with the country, using the decision as leverage in ongoing negotiations with its northern neighbor.
He made the announcement on Thursday through social media, revealing his desire to use the trade war to coerce countries on issues outside the context of trade -- essentially to flatter his Zionist partners.
“Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine,” Trump wrote, adding it “will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them. Oh’ Canada!!!”
The U.S. president has threatened to impose a 35% tariff on Canada if no deal is reached by Friday, adding that he will levy tariffs against goods from dozens of countries if they don’t reach an agreement with the U.S.
He also dismissed a similar policy announced by French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday, saying, “What he says doesn’t matter. It’s not going to change anything.”
In contrast, Trump expressed support for the UK’s similar stance, stating he had no issue with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s position that the United Kingdom would recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza.
Trump has maintained an ambiguous position with regard to the recognition of Palestinian statehood amid a broader global shift against Israel’s policies in Gaza, saying such a move would be rewarding Hamas.
The U.S. president has harassed Canada since he came to power in January, suggesting it should become the 51st U.S. state.
The White House announced on Wednesday that “Donald Trump has officially imposed a new 40% tariff in addition to the 10% tariff previously applied against Brazil in an attempt to address the recent policies, practices, and actions of the Brazilian government, which pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.”
Trump has been threatening the ruling establishment in Brazil in an effort to save his ally Jair Bolsonaro, who, like the U.S. president, has faced criminal charges for attempting to overturn the results of his election loss.
Some imports from Canada are still protected by the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which is up for renegotiation next year.
Early this year, former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had said that U.S. President Donald Trump is serious about annexing Canada, warning that the American president’s fixation on absorbing Canada is “a real thing.”