The internet collectively groaned Thursday night as President Donald Trump announced his plan to slap a 35% tariff on products from Canada.
Trump posted on his Truth Social platform a copy of a letter addressed to Prime Minister Mark Carney, writing that it was a "Great Honor" for him to send the letter, because it "demonstrates the strength and commitment of our Trading Relationship, and the fact that the United States of America has agreed to continue working with Canada, despite Canada having financially retaliated against the United States."
"As you will recall, the United States imposed Tariffs on Canada to deal with our Nation’s Fentanyl crisis, which is caused, in part, by Canada’s failure to stop the drugs from pouring into our Country. Instead of working with the United States, Canada retaliated with its own Tariffs," he added.
Trump said the U.S. will begin the steep tariff Aug. 1, "separate from all Sectoral Tariffs."
"Goods transshipped to evade this higher Tariff will be subject to that higher Tariff," he warned. "As you are aware, there will be no Tariff if Canada, or companies within your Country, decide to build or manufacture product within the United States and, in fact, we will do everything possible to get approvals quickly, professionally, and routinely — In other words, in a matter of weeks."
Trump also threatened to increase that tariff if Canada retaliates with its own tariff hike. He concluded with a note about fentanyl, tariffs on dairy farmers and national security.
"Also, I must mention that the flow of Fentanyl is hardly the only challenge we have with Canada, which has many Tariff, and Non-Tariff, Policies and Trade Barriers, which cause unsustainable Trade Deficits against the United States," wrote Trump "Canada charges extraordinary Tariffs to our Dairy Farmers — up to 400% — and that is even assuming our Dairy Farmers even have access to sell their products to the people of Canada. The Trade Deficit is a major threat to our Economy and, indeed, our National Security!"
The announcement came after Trump said he planned to introduce a mass blanket tariff on all remaining countries.
The internet predictably wasn't thrilled with the steep tariff on America's northern neighbor.
The popular political account on X JoJoFromJerz lamented, "We. Pay. The. F---ing. Tariffs."
The MeidasTouch account bemoaned, "Not this idiocy again. Only 43 pounds of fentanyl—yes, just 43—were intercepted at the U.S.-Canada border in 2024."
Perrin Beatty, former President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, noted on X that Trump's letter repeated the "bogus" claim that Canada has failed to stop drugs from "pouring into our Country” claim, despite U.S. stats and our $1.3 billion commitment.
Spencer Hakimian, founder of Tolou Capital Management, chided, "Orange boy couldn’t handle the TACO nickname. So the entire world has to burn again."
Patrick Strother, founder of Strother Communications Group, added, "If Trump was smart he wouldn’t do this. That is why he is doing it."