Monday, December 16, 2024

Trump’s appointees have criticized Trudeau, warned of border issues with Canada

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WASHINGTON — Donald Trump’s second administration is filling up with some of his most loyal supporters and many of the people landing top jobs have been critical of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and security at Canada’s border.

“I don’t see a whole lot of friends of Canada in there,” said Fen Hampson, a professor of international affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa and co-chair of the Expert Group on Canada-U.S. Relations.

As the Republican leader starts making decisions about his administration, designations for foreign policy and border positions have sent signals to Canada about America’s path forward.

Trump campaigned on imposing a minimum 10 per cent across-the-board import tariff. A Canadian Chamber of Commerce report suggests that would shrink the Canadian economy, resulting in around $30 billion per year in economic costs.

The president-elect is also critical of giving aid to Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression and has attacked the United Nations, both things the Liberal government in Canada strongly backs.

Stephen Miller, who will join Trump’s White House as deputy chief of staff for policy, last year called Canada “increasingly authoritarian and despotic” and has labelled its leader “far-left Trudeau.”

Trump tapped Mike Waltz to be national security adviser amid increasing geopolitical instability, saying in a statement Tuesday that the Florida congressman will be a champion of “our pursuit of Peace through Strength!”

Waltz has repeatedly slammed Trudeau on social media, particularly for his handling of issues related to China.

He also recently weighed in on the looming Canadian election, posting on X that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was going to “send Trudeau packing in 2025” and “start digging Canada out of the progressive mess it’s in.”

Like Trump, Waltz has been critical of NATO members that don’t meet defence spending targets — something Canada is not doing, and won’t do for years.

Trudeau promised to meet the target of spending the equivalent of two per cent of GDP on defence by 2032.

Many people joining Trump’s inner circle have a history of lambasting Canada’s prime minister.

Mike Huckabee, the next U.S. ambassador to Israel, has also taken jabs at Trudeau in social media posts, criticizing him over the blackface scandal and calling him two-faced.

Elon Musk, who has become one of Trump’s closest allies, will co-lead a new “Department of Government Efficiency,” which is not an actual government agency.

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