President Trump on Saturday slammed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, saying he was “very dishonest and weak,” and claimed the world leader made “false statements” following the G-7 economic summit.
At a news conference held in Charlevoix, Canada, Trudeau announced th
Based on Justin’s false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our U.S. farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our U.S. Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the U.S. Market!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2018
However, a subsequent tweet from Trump backed away from that notion and pointed to lingering divisions.
Due to Trudeau’s “false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our U.S. farmers, workers and companies,” Trump said he told “our U.S. Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the U.S. Market!”
PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that, “US Tariffs were kind of insulting” and he “will not be pushed around.” Very dishonest & weak. Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2018
In a followup tweet, Trump targeted Trudeau again, saying he “acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that, ‘US Tariffs were kind of insulting’ and he ‘will not be pushed around.’”
“Very dishonest & weak,” Trump continued. “Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!”
President Donald Trump meets with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during the G-7 summit on Friday in Charlevoix, Canada. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Following Trudeau’s comments regarding the communique, the Canadian leader said “strong, firm conversations on trade and specifically American tariffs” took placed at the G-7 meeting. He said he expressed to Trump “that Canadians did not take it lightly that the United States has moved forward with significant tariffs on our steel and aluminum industry.”
He further said that he found it “kind of insulting” and that it didn’t help in efforts to renegotiate the NAFTA agreement.
“It would be with regret, but it would be with absolute certainty and firmness that we move forward with retaliatory measures on July 1 applying equivalent tariffs to the ones that the Americans have unjustly applied to us,” Trudeau said. “I have made it very clear to the president that it is not something we relish doing but it is something that we absolutely will do because Canadians, we’re polite, we’re reasonable but we also will not be pushed around.”
In a statement, The Associated Press reported, a spokesman for Trudeau did not address Trump’s tweeted insults. “We are focused on everything we accomplished here at the #G7 summit,” spokesman Cameron Ahmad said. “The prime minister said nothing he hasn’t said before — both in public, and in private conversations with the president.”
During an evening stroll with his wife and another couple, Trudeau was asked a couple of times by a reporter for his reaction to Trump’s tweets. And he was also asked for his thoughts on what Trump’s move could mean for the future of the G-7 .
Trudeau didn’t answer the questions, responding to journalists at the photo op: “Good to see you guys. … It’s a beautiful evening, a great weekend.”
Trump had entered the summit amid a spat with Trudeau and French President Emmanuel Macron over U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum. Afterward, he said that talks had been “extremely productive” on trade and other issues.
The president’s sharp comments came as he is currently en route to Singapore for a highly anticipated meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, set to be held on Tuesday.
