WASHINGTON — The U.S.–Canada trade dispute has intensified again, with the Trump administration blaming Canada for the latest escalation and announcing new restrictions on Canadian products.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Canada’s decision to impose retaliatory tariffs on American goods triggered Washington’s response. He described the escalation as a “natural consequence” of what he called Canada’s discrimination against U.S. exports and its decision to pursue retaliation instead of completing a trade agreement.
President Donald Trump signed five new executive orders Tuesday that are expected to take effect later this month. The measures will completely prohibit imports of certain Canadian goods, including motorcycles, some dairy products and alcoholic beverages.
Greer said the administration’s objective is to protect American workers and exporters and establish greater reciprocity in U.S.–Canada trade.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has acknowledged that Canada’s effort to reduce its economic dependence on the United States will carry costs, but maintains that accepting Washington’s alternative would be more damaging to Canada.
The latest measures mark another significant escalation in the trade confrontation between the two longtime economic partners, with businesses and consumers on both sides of the border facing the risk of higher costs and further disruption to deeply integrated supply chains.