WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s decision to delay imposing severe tariffs on Canada for at least 30 days was met with widespread skepticism Monday, as critics argued the deal secured by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau largely repackages previous commitments.
Trudeau announced the agreement in an afternoon statement, confirming that Canada will provide 10,000 troops to patrol the U.S.-Canadian border as part of a broader security effort. “I just had a good call with President Trump,” Trudeau wrote. “Canada is implementing our $1.3 billion border plan — reinforcing the border with new choppers, technology, and personnel, enhanced coordination with our American partners, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl. Nearly 10,000 frontline personnel are and will be working on protecting the border.”
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Trudeau also outlined additional commitments, including the appointment of a “Fentanyl Czar,” listing drug cartels as terrorist organizations, 24/7 surveillance of the border, and the formation of a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl trafficking, and money laundering. The initiative, backed by $200 million, also includes a new intelligence directive on organized crime.
However, many political observers quickly pointed out that much of what Trudeau presented as part of the deal had already been announced in prior months. “Trump got played again. Canada already has 8,500 frontline personnel at the border,” wrote former MSNBC host Mehdi Hasan.
“We also announced the $1.3 billion in December. lol,” Canadian journalist Jordan Heath-Rawlings added. Conservative attorney George Conway, co-founder of the Lincoln Project, mocked Trump’s negotiating skills, saying, “LOL Canada gave our felonious, imbecilic president ice in winter and he took it.”
Sam Litzinger, a former CBS News and Associated Press reporter, joked on Bluesky that “Trump is folding like a bad poker player …” Bill Grueskin, a journalist and professor, posted a meme of former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton laughing, captioning it: “The phone call tonight between Sheinbaum and Trudeau will be amazing.”
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“FACT CHECK: Canada has already announced this plan BEFORE Trump announced his tariffs,” investigative reporter Phil Williams of WTVF-TV noted.
Despite the criticism, Trump and his allies framed the agreement as a victory, touting Canada’s increased border security measures. However, with only a temporary tariff pause in place, questions remain about whether further negotiations will lead to substantive new commitments from Ottawa.