US politics live: Donald Trump stands by tariffs on Canada and Mexico, threatens Panama again

Donald Trump has followed up a busy day of warring, on trade, with America’s most important economic partners to issue an ominous new threat to yet another nation.

Welcome to another week of what should be quite hectic news from the United States, where President Donald Trump is continuing to push through his agenda.

Yesterday Mr Trump officially imposed huge tariffs on his country’s two closest trading partners, Canada and Mexico, as well as China. The Canadians, whose mood in response was perhaps best captured by a crowd of them booing the American national anthem (something which happened again today), were fastest to retaliate with tariffs of their own.

“Canada has been very abusive of the United States for very many years,” Mr Trump told reporters on the tarmac before boarding Air Force One today, before going on to complain about his nation’s trade deficit with its northern neighbour.

The tariffs have also created consternation, we might say, back in the United States, due to fears they will hurt the nation’s own economy and raise the already tough cost of living.

The Wall Street Journal, an economically conservative newspaper, has described these tariffs as “the dumbest trade war in history”.

Mr Trump’s White House has shot back at the paper, accusing it of supporting “America Last” policies (as opposed to those falling under the President’s “America First” slogan).

On another matter, Mr Trump has issued a renewed threat to the Central American nation Panama, telling reporters the United States is “going to take back” the Panama Canal.

“China is running the Panama Canal. That was not given to China. That was given to Panama, foolishly. But they violated the agreement,” he said, referring to a treaty signed in the 1990s when the US handed over control of the canal.

“We’re going to take it back, or something very powerful is going to happen.”

Read on for the latest updates.

Originally published as US politics live: Donald Trump stands by tariffs on Canada and Mexico, threatens Panama again