Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has strongly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims about fentanyl smuggling, calling them unfounded. This disagreement comes as the U.S. has imposed new trade tariffs, which Trudeau says Canada will respond to with its own tariffs.
The U.S. recently announced a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico, along with a 10% tariff on imports from China. The Trump administration has linked these tariffs to the issue of fentanyl, a powerful opioid that has been a major concern in the U.S. However, Trudeau pointed out that the amount of fentanyl coming from Canada is minimal, with less than 1% of fentanyl intercepted at the U.S. border originating from Canada. He emphasized that Canada has invested $1.3 billion in border security to combat this issue.
Trudeau described the accusations as "unjustified" and stated that Canada would retaliate by imposing tariffs on $155 billion worth of U.S. goods over the next three weeks. Both Canada and China have criticized the U.S. for using fentanyl as a reason for trade barriers. Chinese officials have accused the Trump administration of politicizing trade issues, arguing that the fentanyl crisis is primarily a U.S. problem that requires domestic solutions.
The Trump administration has framed the situation as a national emergency, claiming that both Canada and Mexico have not done enough to address drug trafficking. Despite this, data shows that fentanyl seizures at the U.S.-Mexico border have decreased significantly in recent months, falling by about 50%. Additionally, fatal overdoses from fentanyl in the U.S. have dropped by more than 30% over the past year.
In response to the tariffs, China has announced it will impose additional tariffs of 10-15% on various U.S. agricultural products, including chicken and pork. Mexico is also preparing to retaliate with its own tariffs, with President Claudia Sheinbaum expressing her discontent over the U.S. decision.
As tensions rise over trade and drug policy, it remains to be seen how these tariffs will impact relations among the U.S., Canada, and China.