WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described his recent discussion with former President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago as “excellent.” This meeting took place shortly after Trump’s threats to introduce stringent tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico, which raised serious concerns in both capitals. As Trudeau departed Florida for Canada, it remained uncertain whether their dialogue eased Trump’s apprehensions regarding trade.
According to an insider familiar with the discussion, the impromptu dinner, held on Friday, lasted three hours and covered a wide array of topics, such as trade, border security, the drug crisis (specifically fentanyl), defense, Ukraine, NATO, and issues related to China and the Middle East. The leaders also touched on preparations for the upcoming Group of Seven meeting scheduled to take place in Canada next year. Trump’s stance includes imposing a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico unless those nations curb the influx of drugs and migrants across their borders, intending to make this one of his first executive orders upon taking office in January.
When leaving his hotel in West Palm Beach, Trudeau briefly addressed the media about his meeting with Trump, highlighting that it was a positive dialogue. However, questions regarding the specifics of their discussions did not receive a response from Trump’s transition team. During his presidency, Trump had previously criticized Trudeau by labeling him as “weak” and “dishonest.” Nevertheless, Trudeau became the first leader from the G7 to meet with Trump following the recent election.
Political analyst Daniel Béland from McGill University pointed out that Trudeau’s engagement on tariff discussions was a necessary step, despite the potential risks involved. The dinner included prominent figures such as Howard Lutnick, who has been nominated for commerce secretary, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, a candidate for the role of interior secretary, along with Mike Waltz, who is poised to become Trump’s national security adviser. Trudeau was accompanied by Canada’s public safety minister, Dominic LeBlanc, and his chief of staff, Katie Telford, both of whom play vital roles in issues related to border security.
Trudeau had indicated prior to the dinner that discussions with Trump would be essential in addressing the tariff situation. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also voiced confidence that a trade war could be avoided after her conversation with Trump. Trudeau remarked that while Trump won the election by promising to reduce grocery costs, the proposed tariffs would increase prices on numerous products—including those from regions in Canada like Prince Edward Island.
“It’s vital to recognize that Trump means to follow through on his statements. There’s no ambiguity there,” Trudeau stated before leaving Florida. He added, “We have a duty to demonstrate that such tariffs wouldn’t solely harm Canadians working closely with the U.S., but would also elevate prices for American consumers and adversely affect U.S. industry.”
Nelson Wiseman, a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, commented that Trump is aware that imposing new tariffs on Canadian goods may not benefit U.S. interests. However, the president refrains from acknowledging this publicly in order to maintain his image as a decisive leader.
Should these tariffs be enacted, they threaten to undermine the North American trade agreement that Trump’s administration previously renegotiated, which Trudeau labels a “win-win” for both nations. Trump originally made the tariff threat in response to what he perceived as rising illegal migrant entries, although official statistics indicate that such numbers at the Canadian border are significantly lower compared to those at the U.S.-Mexico border.
In his remarks, Trump also attributed the fentanyl crisis in part to both Mexico and Canada, despite the fact that seizures from Canada’s border are minimal compared to those from Mexico. Canadian officials have deemed it unfair to group Canada with Mexico but express readiness to invest in border security enhancements.
During Trump’s first term, increases in tariffs prompted other nations to retaliate with their own trade barriers. Canada, for example, imposed billions of dollars in duties against the U.S. in 2018 as a countermeasure to raised tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. Currently, Canada remains the leading export market for 36 U.S. states, with nearly $3.6 billion CAD (approximately $2.7 billion USD) in goods and services crossing the border daily.