Trump Threatens 100% Tariffs on Canadian Goods Over China Deal, Warns ‘China Will Eat Canada Alive’

President Donald Trump on Saturday warned that the United States would slap a 100% tariff on all Canadian goods if Ottawa seals a trade deal with Beijing. He posted the threat on Truth Social and used sharp language to warn Canada away from closer ties with China.

Trump wrote, “If Governor Carney thinks he is going to make Canada a ‘Drop Off Port’ for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken.”

He added, in the same post, “China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life.”

The threat came after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney returned from a trade visit to Beijing. Carney announced a deal that would let in up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles at a most favoured nation tariff rate of 6.1%. In return, China said it would cut some tariffs on Canadian farm exports, including canola seed to about 15% by March 1.

Ottawa said the move is about opening markets and building new supply chains. Critics in Canada said it risks hurting local auto workers and could tilt the balance of trade. In Washington, the reaction was swift. Trump first praised the idea only days earlier, then changed course with the social media post that warned of heavy US action.

Tensions between the two leaders have been rising since the World Economic Forum in Davos. Carney drew a standing ovation there when he argued that the old global order is breaking down. He said, “We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition,” and warned, “middle powers must act together because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.”

Trump answered in Davos with a sharp line aimed at Carney. He said, “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.” That public back and forth has turned what might have been a quiet policy debate into a diplomatic row with real trade risk.

Experts say a 100% US tariff on Canadian goods would be dramatic and damaging for both sides. Canada sells oil, metals and food to the United States. Blocking those goods would hurt factories, farms and shoppers in both countries.

For now, Ottawa says it will press ahead with plans to reset ties with China while also keeping the US relationship strong. Prime Minister Carney and his team stress that the deal with Beijing is limited and aimed at fixing painful trade barriers that have cost farmers and exporters jobs.

The fight is likely to play out in public words and private calls in the coming days. If the tariff threat is carried out, it would mark a sharp escalation in a long standing partnership that many say the two countries cannot afford to break.

Short of military moves, trade is one of the few tools a president can use fast. So the question now is whether the threat is a bargaining move or the start of a real policy shift. Either way, businesses and farmers on both sides of the border will be watching closely.

Featured image via X screengrab