By Ismail Shakil and Tim Reid
OTTAWA (Reuters) – U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday he discussed the border, trade and energy in a “very productive” meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau amid fears of a trade war.
Trudeau made an unannounced visit to Florida on Friday night and had dinner with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence, days after Republican Trump vowed to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports after being sworn in as president in January.
That promise has raised fears of a trade war between the United States and two of its largest trading partners.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum warned this week that Trump’s tariff plan would have dire consequences for both countries and suggested possible retaliation.
Trump wants to use the tariffs as a tool to get Mexico and Canada to help stop the flow of illegal drugs into the US, particularly the deadly opioid fentanyl, as well as immigrants crossing into the US illegally.
“We discussed many important issues that will require both countries to work together to address, such as the fentanyl and drug crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of illegal immigration, fair trade agreements that do not endanger American workers, and the massive trade. Deficit that the United States has with Canada,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
“Trudeau is committed to working with us to end this terrible devastation of American families,” he added.
Trudeau, in a post on social media site X on Saturday, said he hoped the two would work together.
“Thank you for dinner last night, President Trump. I look forward to the work we can do together, again,” Trudeau said.
The prime minister’s office did not respond to a request for comment on the meeting.
A Canadian government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters it was a positive and extensive dinner that lasted three hours.
On Friday, Trudeau said at a news conference in Canada that he was taking potential tariffs seriously.
“Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans to follow through,” he said.
Many economists have warned that Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on imports will increase costs for American consumers.
Trump has said tariffs on trading partners will help protect American manufacturers and boost domestic job growth.
In a separate post, Trump called on the so-called BRICS countries to commit to not creating a new currency or supporting another currency above the US dollar.
If those countries do so, they will face “100% tariffs,” Trump said.
BRICS refers to the original members of the intergovernmental group of economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
It also includes Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates.
“We require a commitment from these countries that they will not create a new BRICS currency or support any other currency that will replace the mighty US dollar or face 100% tariffs and should say goodbye to sales in the wonderful US economy,” Trump wrote. .