In a significant escalation of trade tensions, former US President Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to Canada, threatening to impose a 100% tariff on all Canadian imports if the North American nation proceeds with a trade deal with China. The threat was delivered via Trump's Truth Social platform on Saturday, directly targeting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
A Direct Warning to Ottawa
Trump's social media post was unequivocal in its message to the Canadian leadership. "If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the [US]," Trump declared. He went further, suggesting that engagement with China would have devastating consequences for Canada, stating that "China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life."
The former president specifically accused Prime Minister Carney of considering turning Canada into a "Drop Off Port" for Chinese goods destined for the United States, a move Trump described as "sorely mistaken." This represents a significant hardening of rhetoric from Trump, who has historically used tariff threats as a primary tool of economic diplomacy, with mixed results throughout his political career.
Venezuelan Oil Seizures Detailed
Simultaneously, Trump provided new details about his administration's ongoing campaign to control Venezuela's oil resources. In an interview with the New York Post published on Saturday, Trump confirmed that US refineries are processing oil seized from Venezuelan tankers. "Let's put it this way – they don't have any oil," Trump told the publication. "We take the oil."
The oil is reportedly being refined in "various places" including Houston, according to Trump's statements. This development follows a month-long campaign during which the US military has seized seven Venezuela-linked tankers. Trump revealed earlier in the week that his administration had taken 50 million barrels of oil out of Venezuela, with some being sold on the open market.
Background of Venezuelan Intervention
The intercepted vessels were either under US sanctions or identified as part of a "shadow fleet" of ships that disguise their origins to move oil from sanctioned producers including Iran, Russia, and Venezuela. Trump's Latin American foreign policy has increasingly focused on Venezuela, initially aiming to remove President Nicolás Maduro from power through diplomatic means.
When diplomatic efforts failed, Trump ordered US forces to conduct an overnight raid on 3 January, flying into Venezuela to capture Maduro and his wife. Both were brought to New York to face criminal drug-related charges and remain detained there. In his Saturday interview, Trump boasted about a new weapon called "the discombobulator" that played a central role in the raid, following White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's social media posts about US forces using "very intense sound waves" to incapacitate Maduro's bodyguards.
Broader Implications and Reactions
Trump's dual announcements – the tariff threat against Canada and the details of Venezuelan oil seizures – represent significant developments in his approach to international relations and economic policy. The proposed 100% tariff on Canadian goods would represent one of the most severe trade measures threatened against a close ally, potentially devastating cross-border trade relationships that have been carefully cultivated over decades.
Meanwhile, the Venezuelan oil campaign continues to raise eyebrows internationally, particularly Trump's stated plan to control Venezuela's oil resources indefinitely as part of a $100 billion plan to rebuild the country's dilapidated oil industry. This ambitious proposal has drawn scepticism from multiple quarters, including environmental groups and major US oil companies, who question both the feasibility and the ethics of such extensive foreign intervention in Venezuela's natural resources.
These developments come as Trump maintains his influential position in US politics, continuing to shape foreign policy discussions and economic debates through his characteristically direct and confrontational approach to international relations.
