U.S. President Donald Trump mentioned Thursday Canada’s intent to acknowledge a Palestinian state will make it “very onerous” for the 2 international locations to barter a commerce deal, but additionally mentioned it is probably not a “dealbreaker.”
“Wow! Canada has simply introduced that it’s backing statehood for Palestine. That may make it very onerous for us to make a Commerce Cope with them,” Trump mentioned on Fact Social.
The president made the put up on his social media platform early on Thursday, hours after Prime Minister Mark Carney introduced that Canada intends to acknowledge Palestinian statehood on the United Nations Normal Meeting in September.
Trump later advised reporters on the White Home that Canada’s place was “not a dealbreaker” however once more voiced his displeasure.
“We’re going to see,” he mentioned at an unrelated occasion Thursday. “I didn’t like what they mentioned, however you recognize, that’s their opinion. I didn’t like that.
“We haven’t spoken to Canada at this time. He’s known as, and we’ll see,” he added, with out specifying who he was referring to.
Canada-U.S. Commerce Minister Dominic LeBlanc is in Washington this week for ongoing negotiations towards a deal. His workplace declined to share an replace on these talks when requested by World Information on Thursday.
Trump on Thursday recommended most of the identical grievances he’s lengthy voiced about Canada, together with its provide administration system for the dairy business and army spending, stay.
“They must pay a good fee,” he mentioned. “They’ve been very, very poorly led, and all we wish is equity for our nation.”
Carney mentioned Wednesday night that recognizing a Palestinian state is conditional.
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“This intention relies on the Palestinian Authority’s dedication to much-needed reforms, together with commitments by the Palestinian Authority’s President (Mahmoud) Abbas, to basically reform its governance, to carry normal elections in 2026 through which Hamas can play no half, and to demilitarize the Palestinian state,” Carney mentioned.
Israel and the US, Israel’s closest ally, each rejected Carney’s feedback.
The Prime Minister’s Workplace mentioned Carney “reaffirmed Canada’s dedication to a two-state answer” in a name with Abbas but additionally knowledgeable him of the circumstances surrounding Canada recognizing Palestinian statehood.
“Prime Minister Carney welcomed President Abbas’ dedication to those reforms,” the readout says.
In his feedback Wednesday, Carney mentioned actions equivalent to elevated settlements by Israel and restrictions on assist into Gaza have undermined the hope of reaching a two-state answer via a negotiated course of.
He cited the components as amongst these weighing on his resolution for Canada’s deliberate recognition of Palestinian statehood.
These assist restrictions appeared to barely loosen final week, permitting for meals and drugs to achieve Gaza. On Thursday, Canadian assist was among the many packages airdropped.
Overseas Affairs Minister Anita Anand mentioned Jordan was serving to to drop Canadian assist, and posted a photograph of pallets with Canadian flags taped to them.
Carney’s resolution adopted France and Britain additionally indicating they’d acknowledge a Palestinian state, although French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned the popularity would come with out circumstances.
Britain, nonetheless, mentioned its recognition would come except Israel takes substantive steps to finish the “appalling state of affairs” in Gaza and meets different circumstances.
Trump has beforehand mentioned recognition of Palestinian statehood would reward the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
“You’re rewarding Hamas should you do this. I don’t assume they need to be rewarded,” he mentioned on board Air Power One on Tuesday.
White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt added that recognition of Palestinian statehood might have additional impacts on ending the battle.
“He (Trump) feels as if that’s rewarding Hamas at a time the place Hamas is the true obstacle to a ceasefire and to the discharge of all of the hostages,” Leavitt mentioned Thursday.
U.S. State Division deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott advised reporters recognition might “damage the prospect for peace.”
The U.S. additionally imposed sanctions on Thursday on Palestinian Authority officers and members of the Palestine Liberation Group, saying the teams have been undermining peace efforts.
Trump’s feedback Thursday come simply earlier than an Aug. 1 deadline set by him for international locations to achieve commerce offers with the U.S. or face greater tariffs.
Trump is about to impose a 35 per cent tariff on all Canadian items that aren’t coated by the Canada-U.S.-Mexico commerce settlement (CUSMA) if a brand new commerce and safety settlement is just not reached by the deadline.
The prime minister mentioned “constructive” negotiations with the Individuals have been ongoing, however cautioned they might not conclude by Aug. 1.
“These are advanced, they’re complete, they’re constructive negotiations with the Individuals (that) are ongoing,” Carney mentioned. “It’s doable that they might not conclude by the primary of August, however we’ll see.”
Canada is the second-largest U.S. buying and selling accomplice after Mexico, and the biggest purchaser of U.S. exports. It purchased $349.4 billion of U.S. items final yr and exported $412.7 billion to the U.S., in line with U.S. Census Bureau knowledge.
The U.S. has levied a 50 per cent tariff on metal and aluminum merchandise and 25 per cent on the automotive business, and plans to implement a 50 per cent on copper imports beginning Friday.
Final month, Carney’s authorities scrapped a deliberate digital providers tax concentrating on U.S. know-how corporations after Trump abruptly known as off commerce talks, saying the tax was a “blatant assault.”
— with recordsdata from World Information’ Sean Boynton, Reuters and The Canadian Press
© 2025 World Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
