Trump's Canada Trade War Backfires, Boosts Liberals

Former US Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, writing for The Guardian, states that President Donald Trump has initiated a trade war with Canada after facing setbacks with Iran. Reich likens Trump to a bully who, after being punched back by Iran, looks for a weaker target. Trump is now hammering Canada, a neighbor, friend, second-largest trading partner, and reliable ally, on his Truth Social and in media appearances, claiming Canada has 'ripped off' the US for years, and signing an order to rename Lake Ontario 'Lake America.'

Reich calls this 'pure bunk' and 'empty Trump bravado and ignorant belligerence.' The columnist reports that Trump's US Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer, argues the duties are too small to pose a problem for the US and are 'more [Canada's] emergency than ours.' Trump apparently assumed Canada would quickly surrender because the tariffs affect a tiny portion of US imports but a huge portion of Canada's exports.

Canadian Political Backlash

According to Reich, the bullying is having the opposite of its intended effect. He writes that Prime Minister Mark Carney's decision to enact 'dollar for dollar' retaliation on goods from key US states, including Ohio and Texas, has led to a surge in support for his Liberal party. The Liberals won three special by-elections on Monday.

One of those victories saw a Liberal candidate edge out a Quebec separatist in a district hit hard by the US tariffs. Reich suggests this dims the prospects for separatist movements in Quebec and Alberta ahead of important votes in October on secessionist gains. The trade war, he argues, is igniting a unifying patriotism in Canada that has often eluded the nation.

Domestic US Opposition

Trump may have underestimated the reaction at home, Reich states. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll cited in the column shows strong American opposition to the president's actions.

The negative response is especially pronounced in border states like Michigan, where overwhelming majorities oppose the tariffs and Democrats have launched attack ads against Republican candidates for refusing to denounce them. Reich quotes Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed calling Trump an 'asshole' for launching the trade war.

Timeline and Stalemate

There is still a window to avoid the worst fallout. Carney's retaliatory tariffs take effect on 8 September. Trump's threatened countermeasure, 50% tariffs on autos and auto parts, is not scheduled until New Year's Day.

However, Reich concludes that no one should expect an easy resolution. He characterizes the policy as potentially 'the stupidest of all the stupid foreign policies Trump has initiated.'