Trump’s ridiculous bullying of Canada is backfiring | Robert Reich
The US president’s need to assert dominance is igniting patriotism abroad and a backlash at home What do bullies do when someone stands up to their bullying and punches them in the face? They look for someone weaker to bully who won’t punch back. Presumably that’s why Donald Trump has now taken on Canada , after Iran punched back so hard in the cage match the US president began more than six…
Donald Trump’s quest for dominance has sparked patriotism in Canada and a backlash at home, writes Robert Reich. After Iran humiliated Trump with a strong response to his bullying, the US president turned his attention to Canada, a key trading partner and ally. Trump accused Canada of "ripping off" the US for years and renamed Lake Ontario "Lake America" on his Truth Social platform.
This aggressive behavior is misguided, as Canada has more to lose from the imposed tariffs. These tariffs, affecting only a small portion of America's total imports, pose a significant burden on Canada's exports. Trump's actions have strengthened Canada's resolve and sparked a surge of support for the prime minister's Liberal party, resulting in a victory in special by-elections.
The negative response to Trump's trade war is evident, with 57% of Americans opposing his tariffs on Canadian imports. Despite Trump's underestimation of the backlash, there is still time for the US and Canada to prevent further economic and political fallout.
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