U.S. President Donald Trump’s chief trade official criticized Canadian leaders for labeling the administration’s tariffs as part of a trade war against Canada, calling it “unhinged.” Jamieson Greer, in an interview with the Financial Times, played down the impact of the recently imposed 50 percent U.S. tariffs on the Canadian economy and rebuked Prime Minister Mark Carney for his characterization of the trade dispute. Greer emphasized that the tariffs, which came into effect in August, only affect five percent of Canada’s exports to the U.S.
During the interview, Greer highlighted that the rhetoric around the trade issue, including terms like “war” and “economic attacks,” was exaggerated and unwarranted. The podcast aired before Canada retaliated with tariffs of its own, prompting the U.S. to announce a ban on imports of Canadian alcohol, motorcycles, and certain food items starting on September 29.
Greer’s office further promoted the podcast by issuing a news release with excerpts from the interview where he clarified that the U.S. was simply imposing additional fees on foreign goods produced by foreign workers in foreign countries. He also mentioned presenting response options to Trump regarding Canada’s retaliatory tariffs, indicating that the president was considering taking action.
On Tuesday, Trump announced the import ban, declared Canadian companies ineligible for a U.S. government procurement program, and made adjustments to the Canadian goods subject to the new 50 percent tariff, describing these measures as a “natural consequence” of Canada’s trade tactics. Greer stated that Canada’s retaliatory actions against the U.S. had led to the current situation.
This development comes amid ongoing tensions between the two countries, with Greer and other Trump administration officials rejecting the notion of a trade war with Canada. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent previously dismissed the idea of a trade war with Canada in late August, emphasizing that there was no such conflict.