Trudeau Reveals the Real Reason Trump Wants to Start ‘Dumb’ Trade War

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed the real reason he believes President Donald Trump is making the “dumb” move of starting a trade war with his country.

Trudeau called Trump’s explicit explanation—that the 25 percent import tax is meant to stanch the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.—“completely bogus.”

“What he wants to see is a total collapse of the Canadian economy,” the outgoing Liberal Party leader said at a press conference on Tuesday, as the tariff went into effect. “Because that will make it easier to annex us.”

Trudeau assured that he wasn’t worried that Trump’s plan would work: “That’s never going to happen. We will never be the 51st state.”

While Trump’s oft-repeated jab about Canada becoming the 51st state was initially understood by many as a joke, Trump doubled down last month and confirmed he was serious.

In response to the tariff, which Trump announced in early February but opted to delay a month, Trudeau on Tuesday announced that he would be challenging the tariffs at the World Trade Organization. Canada and the U.S. have a free trade agreement.

Canada has already instituted retaliatory tariffs of their own against the U.S., and Trudeau confirmed that they would stay in place until America backed down.

Trump has leveled a matching tariff against Mexico and a smaller one against China.

On Tuesday, typically mild-mannered Trudeau didn’t mince words when discussing Trump’s decision.

“Now, it’s not in my habit to agree with The Wall Street Journal, but Donald, they point out that even though you’re a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do,” the Canadian said. “We two friends fighting is exactly what our opponents around the world want to see.”

Less than 1 percent of fentanyl seized entering the U.S. is taken at the northern border—98 percent of it is coming in from Mexico.

Trump has been repeating the “51st state” rib since before he entered office for his second term.

“If Canada merged with the U.S.,” he wrote on social media in early January. “There would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them.”

Trudeau, who has expressed his disdain for the idea, was caught on a hot mic last month explaining why he believes it is not a joke.

“I suggest that not only does the Trump administration know how many critical minerals we have but that may be even why they keep talking about absorbing us and making us the 51st state,” he said after the end of a press conference. “They’re very aware of our resources, of what we have, and they very much want to be able to benefit from those. But Mr. Trump has it in mind that one of the easiest ways of doing that is absorbing our country. And it is a real thing.”

The tariffs on Canada and Mexico, which began after midnight on Tuesday, are expected to rapidly raise prices for American consumers, especially in sectors like automaking and aluminum.