Trump Just Torched Relations With One of the U.S.’s Closest Allies

President Donald Trump plans to raise tariffs on Canadian imports by 35 percent, upending whatever progress the two countries had made on a trade deal, if any.

“As you will recall, the United States imposed tariffs on Canada to deal with our nation’s fentanyl crisis, which is caused, in part, by Canada’s failure to stop the drugs from pouring into our country,” Trump wrote to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in a letter published on Truth Social Thursday night. “Instead of working with the United States, Canada retaliated with its own tariffs. Starting August 1, 2025, we will charge Canada a tariff of 35 percent on Canadian products sent into the United States, separate from all Sectoral tariffs.”

Trump’s tariffs are more threats than actual tariffs right now and the letter itself looks like many others he has sent to foreign leaders and posted on social media. The August 1 deadline is also a significant extension from the initial July 8 one the president announced this spring. Nothing is final here, but Trump is further rupturing relations with one of the U.S.’s closest allies—and one of its most important trading partners.

Another difference in this letter—Trump is using fentanyl as a scapegoat for this destructive tariff, continuing to spread the often-debunked thinking that Canada plays some significant role in trafficking fentanyl into the U.S. when the opposite is true. Canada is not a major player in U.S. fentanyl trafficking, and the tariffs Trump is levying do not reflect the reality of the epidemic.

“Canada has made vital progress to stop the scourge of fentanyl in North America. We are committed to continuing to work with the United States to save lives and protect communities in both our countries,” Prime Minister Carney responded on X. “We are building Canada strong. The federal government, provinces and territories are making significant progress in building one Canadian economy. We are poised to build a series of major new projects in the national interest. We are strengthening our trading partnerships throughout the world.”