Trump criticizes Canada over drugs but leaves it off list of drug-producing countries

U.S. President Donald Trump continues to criticize Canada for its insufficient efforts to combat drug-related issues, but has chosen not to include Canada on a list of major drug-producing countries published today. The annual report, which names Afghanistan, China, Colombia, Guatemala, Haiti, Mexico and other nations as significant drug producers, was submitted to Congress by Trump.

In his statement, Trump commended the measures taken by Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum to curb drug trafficking and destroy laboratories, but emphasized that both Mexico and Canada must continue to take stronger action against drug cultivation and smuggling. Trump alleged that clandestine labs in Canada had been producing fentanyl, which has then been smuggled into the United States.

He also accused Chinese criminal organizations of operating along the U.S.-Canada border. Despite the U.S. government's data indicating a minimal amount of drugs being intercepted at the Canadian border compared to the Mexican border, Trump previously imposed tariffs on Canadian goods in an attempt to coerce the country into enacting stricter drug control policies. However, these tariffs were later invalidated by the U.S. Supreme Court.