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President Donald Trump and outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau both announced Monday afternoon they have reached an agreement that addresses Trump’s demands for an end to both unchecked illegal immigration and the problem of fentanyl coming across the northern border of the United States. Trump’s tariffs against Canada, imposed Saturday, will be paused for a 30-day period as Trudeau tackles the border issues Trump outlined in talks with the prime minister.
“Canada has agreed to ensure we have a secure Northern Border, and to finally end the deadly scourge of drugs like Fentanyl that have been pouring into our Country, killing hundreds of thousands of Americans, while destroying their families and communities all across our Country,” Trump posted to Truth Social.
“Canada will implement their $1.3 Billion Border plan, and as per Prime Minister Trudeau, will be, reinforcing the Border with new choppers, technology and personnel, enhanced coordination with our American partners, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl,” Trump further explained. “Nearly 10,000 frontline personnel are, and will be, working on protecting the Border.”
“In addition,” Trump wrote, “Canada is making new commitments to appoint a Fentanyl Czar, we will list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24/7 eyes on the Border, launch a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering.”
“I have also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl, and we will be backing it with $200 million,” Trump continued. “As President, it is my responsibility to ensure the safety of ALL Americans, and I am doing just that. I am very pleased with this initial outcome, and the Tariffs announced on Saturday will be paused for a 30 day period to see whether or not a final Economic deal with Canada can be structured. FAIRNESS FOR ALL!”
Trudeau took to X as well to announce the deal with a nearly identical statement to Trump’s.
He “had a good call with President Trump,” Trudeau wrote. The prime minister went on to explain how he would be securing the border his country shares with the United States.
“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,” Trudeau stated.
“Nearly 10,000 frontline personnel are and will be working on protecting the border. In addition, Canada is making new commitments to appoint a Fentanyl Czar, we will list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24/7 eyes on the border, launch a Canada- U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering. I have also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl and we will be backing it with $200 million,” Trudeau added.
“Proposed tariffs will be paused for at least 30 days while we work together,” he concluded.
Tobi Lutke, the CEO of Canadian e-commerce giant Shopify, praised the agreement, thanking Trudeau “for warding off Tariff brinksmanship.”
Earlier, Lutke had defended Trump’s imposition of tariffs on Canada and rebuked Trudeau for allowing a trade war to progress further by retaliating with tariffs on the United States.
“I love Canada and want it to thrive,” billionaire Lutke posted to X Saturday. “I built Canada’s biggest tech company here because I know it’s a special place. Canada thrives when it works with America together.”
“Win by helping America win,” Lutke urged. “Trump believes that Canada has not held its side of the bargain, and he set terms to prove that we still work together: get the borders under control and crack down on fentanyl dens. These are things that every Canadian wants its government to do, too. These are not crazy demands, even if they came from an unpopular source.”
The White House announced in a fact sheet Saturday that the president would implement a 25% additional tariff on imports from both Canada and Mexico, as well a 10% additional tariff on Chinese imports. Canadian energy resources would receive an additional, but lower, 10% tariff.
“President Trump is taking bold action to hold Mexico, Canada, and China accountable to their promises of halting illegal immigration and stopping poisonous fentanyl and other drugs from flowing into our country,” the fact sheet noted. “Previous Administrations failed to fully leverage America’s economic position as a tool to secure our borders against illegal migration and combat the scourge of fentanyl, preferring to let problems fester.”
On Monday morning, Trump announced on Truth Social that he was already pausing the anticipated tariffs on Mexico because President Claudia Sheinbaum “agreed to immediately supply 10,000 Mexican Soldiers on the Border separating Mexico and the United States.”
“These soldiers will be specifically designated to stop the flow of fentanyl, and illegal migrants into our Country,” the president stated. “We further agreed to immediately pause the anticipated tariffs for a one month period during which we will have negotiations headed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent, and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and high-level Representatives of Mexico.”
“I look forward to participating in those negotiations, with President Sheinbaum, as we attempt to achieve a ‘deal’ between our two Countries,” Trump concluded.
Canada is America’s second-largest trading partner after Mexico. Canada is also the United States’ top export market, according to TD Economics, which notes Canada “makes up one of the smallest trade deficits, owing largely to U.S. demand for energy-related products.”
The New York Post reported Sunday that “Canada was America’s biggest overall trading partner in 2023, with more than $900 billion in goods and services exchanged by the two countries.”
