"50% Tariff on Canadian Cars"... Sparing Not Even Closest Allies

[Anchor]

As Canada confronts President Trump's reckless tariff hikes head-on, trade tensions between the two nations are escalating. Criticism is growing within the United States against Trump's economic war, which spares not even the closest allies.

Reporting by Yu Deok-gi.

[Reporter]

President Trump announced that he will raise tariffs on Canadian automobiles, auto parts, and steel to 50 percent starting January 1 of next year.

Following the breakdown of tariff negotiations on the 21st, the United States imposed a 50 percent tariff on 20 billion dollars worth of Canadian products, including dairy and alcohol. When Canada announced it would retaliate with tariffs on U.S. goods starting on the 8th of next month, Trump responded with additional retaliatory measures.

Trump hurled insults, calling Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and the premier of Ontario, who has been at the forefront of standing up to Trump, "clowns," and threatened that Canada should remember a significant portion of its electricity, oil, and gas are transported through the United States.

Canada is also refusing to back down, stating that the United States wants to destroy Canada's key industries.

[Mark Carney / Canadian Prime Minister: We cannot accept an attitude at the negotiating table that Canada is a subsidiary of the United States, nor can we accept our industries being disadvantaged compared to U.S. industries.]

Having endured insulting remarks from Trump—such as Canada being the 51st state of the U.S.—the vast majority of Canadian citizens are supporting their government's hardline stance, evaluating the suspension of trade negotiations with the U.S. as the right decision.

[Doug Ford / Premier of Ontario, Canada: We are going to fight with everything we've got. And the courage and wisdom in one of my pinky toes is more than what he has in his entire body.]

Amid the clash with a closest ally, criticisms emerged within the United States calling it "the most foolish trade war that makes no sense economically or politically." Projections also surfaced that lawsuits will be filed against Trump's mobilization of Section 338 of the Tariff Act—a provision that has not been applied even once in nearly 100 years—to impose these tariffs.

Viewing the trade conflict with the U.S. as likely to be prolonged, Canada plans to announce countermeasures, including domestic relief measures for affected industries and additional retaliatory tariffs against the U.S.

(Video Editing: Wi Won-yang, Design: Kang Yun-jung, Lee Jun-ho)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.