President Donald Trump on Thursday shut the possibility of halting the tariffs imposed on Canada, declaring that “we really don’t need them.”
Speaking at the Oval Office at a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, the President emphasized that he would not change his mind on the trade levy.
“We’ve been ripped off for years; we’re not going to be ripped off anymore,” Trump asserted. ”No, I’m not going to bend at all.”
The United States leader complained that his country had been “subjected to costs that we should not be subjected to.”
Trump said America spends $200 billion a year to “subsidize Canada” and can not continue despite his “love” for the country and its people.
“We don’t need anything that they gave; we do it because we want to be helpful. But it comes a point when you just can’t do that; you have to run your own country.”
“And to be honest, Canada works only as a state. We don’t need anything they have,” Trump maintained, dismissing Canada’s aluminum, steel, cars, energy, and lumber.
He also referenced the map and decried separation of the neighbors. “If you look at the map, they drew an artificial line right through it, between Canada and the US.”
”Somebody drew it many, many decades ago, and it makes no sense. It (Canada) is so perfect as a great and cherished state.”
The President said Canada would be allowed to retain its anthem, adding “Keep it, but it will be for the state, one of our greatest states, maybe our greatest state.”
Trump, however, admitted there would be “a little disruption” amid the trade war, “but it won’t be very long. They need us; we really don’t need them. We have to do this, I’m sorry.”