Trump talks-up ‘productive meeting’ with Trudeau amid tariff threat

Donald Trump has broken bread with Justin Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago, with the pair discussing the incoming administration’s threat to impose tariffs of 25 per cent on Canadian goods.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, centre, leaves the hotel for the airport, in West Palm Beach, Florida. Picture: AFP

Donald Trump broke bread with Justin Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago on Friday night, with the pair discussing the incoming administration’s threat to impose tariffs of 25 per cent on Canadian goods as well as stronger co-operation to tackle the US drug crisis.

The Canadian Prime Minister on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) said he had an “excellent conversation” with the President-elect at Mar-a-Lago, with Mr Trump also saying on social media that it was a “very productive meeting.”

Mr Trudeau flew into Palm Beach International airport the previous day to speak with Mr Trump after the President-elect threatened to slap a 25 per cent tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico as well as an extra 10 per cent tariff on goods from China.

Mr Trudeau and Mr Trump were snapped in a photo together at dinner on Friday evening with the incoming US national security adviser, Mike Waltz, the next US interior secretary Doug Burgum, and Mr Trump’s pick for commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, among others.

It was unclear following the meeting whether Mr Trump’s concerns had been sufficiently addressed, or whether the threat of tariffs had been lifted.

Posting on his Truth Social network, Mr Trump said he “just had a very productive meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, where we discussed many important topics that will require both Countries to work together to address, like the Fentanyl and Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration, Fair Trade Deals that do not jeopardize American Workers, and the massive Trade Deficit the U.S. has with Canada.”

“I made it very clear that the United States will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic, caused mainly by the Drug Cartels, and Fentanyl pouring in from China. Too much death and hardship!” he said.

“Prime Minister Trudeau has made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of U.S. Families. We also spoke about many other important topics like Energy, Trade, and the Arctic. All are vital issues that I will be addressing on my first days back in Office, and before.”

Initial reports indicated the meeting lasted three hours with both leaders canvassing a range of topics stretching from trade, border security, fentanyl, defence, the Ukraine conflict, NATO, China, the Middle-East and the Group of Seven meeting in Canada in 2025.

Mr Trump said last week that the 25 per cent tariff on Canada and Mexico would “remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”

“Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem. We hereby demand that they use this power, and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!”

Mr Trump has also spoken with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, saying on his Truth Social platform after the call that she had agreed to “stop people from going to our Southern Border, effective immediately.”

“She has agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border,” he said.

Yet this interpretation of the conversation was quickly disputed by Ms Sheinbaum, who said that “we would never – we would not be capable – of proposing that we were going to close the border.”

“It has never been our approach and of course we don’t agree with that.”

Joe Biden has also taken aim at Mr Trump’s use of tariffs, arguing it was “counterproductive” and could “screw-up” America’s relations with Canada and Mexico.