Trump discussed border, trade with Canada's Trudeau after pledging steep tariffs

OTTAWA: US President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday (Nov 30) he had a "very productive" meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in which they discussed border-related issues and other topics including trade, energy, and the Arctic.

Trudeau flew to Florida on Friday evening and had dinner with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence, days after Republican Trump had pledged to impose tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports after he is sworn in as president in January.

That pledge has raised fears of a trade war between the US and two of its biggest trading partners.

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum warned this week Trump's tariff plan would have dire consequences for both countries and suggested possible retaliation following his threat of across-the-board 25 per cent tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports.

Trump wants to use tariffs as a tool to get Mexico and Canada to help stem the flow of illegal drugs into the US, particularly the deadly opioid fentanyl, and also migrants crossing illegally into the US.

"We discussed many important topics that will require both countries to work together to address, like the Fentanyl and Drug Crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of Illegal Immigration, Fair Trade Deals that do not jeopardise American Workers, and the massive trade deficit the US has with Canada," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

"Trudeau has made a commitment to work with us to end this terrible devastation of US Families," he added.

Trudeau's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment about his meeting with Trump.

In a separate post, Trump called on the so-called BRICS countries to commit to not creating a new currency or supporting another currency over the US dollar.

If those countries do so they will face "100 per cent tariffs", Trump said.

BRICS refers to original members of the intergovernmental group of economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

It also includes Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates.

"We require a commitment from these Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other currency to replace the mighty US dollar or, they will face 100 per cent Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful US Economy," Trump wrote.