President Trump criticized Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday for acting “meek and mild” during their meetings at the weekend’s Group of Seven (G-7) summit, accusing the prime minister of changing his tone after Trump departed the summit for Singapore.
“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,’” Trump tweeted.
“Very dishonest & weak,” the president added. “Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!”
The Prime Minister’s Office issued a response shortly after, stating that Trudeau has been consistent with Trump.
“The Prime Minister said nothing he hasn’t said before — both in public, and in private conversations with the President,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
Trump recently imposed a 25 percent tariff on steel and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imported from Canada, Mexico and the European Union.
To justify the move, Trump cited Section 232, a rarely invoked law that allows tariffs to be placed on a country in the interest of national security.
In the days since Trump’s announcement, Trudeau has said it is “insulting” that the U.S. considers Canada a national security threat.
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“One of the things that I have to admit I’m having a lot of trouble getting around is the idea that this entire thing is coming about because the president and the administration have decided that Canada and Canadian steel and aluminum is a national security threat to the United States,” Trudeau told NBC’s “Meet the Press” earlier this month.
Trudeau announced on Saturday that all members of the G-7 had signed on to a joint statement, despite high tensions and fears that the U.S. would be excluded from the communique.
But, hours after Trudeau’s announcement, Trump said via a tweet that he is advising U.S. representatives against endorsing the G-7 communique.
“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!” Trump said.
The president sent the tweet while en route to Singapore for a planned summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Trump — who left the summit earlier than scheduled — demanded on Saturday that G-7 countries reduce their trade barriers.
Updated 8:00 p.m.