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

[Anchor]

As Canada firmly stands against Trump's reckless tariff hikes, trade tensions between the two countries are intensifying. Criticism is growing within the United States over Trump's "economic war" that spares not even its closest allies.

Reporter Yu Deok-gi has the details.

[Reporter]

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he will raise tariffs on Canadian automobiles, auto parts, and steel to 50 percent starting January 1 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 alcoholic beverages. When Canada announced retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products starting on the 8th of next month, Trump responded with additional retaliatory measures.

Trump denounced Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and the premier of Ontario, Canada, who has taken the lead in standing up against Trump, as "clowns," and threatened that they should remember how a significant amount of Canada's electricity, oil, and gas is transported through the United States.

Canada has not backed 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 where Canada is treated as a U.S. subsidiary, or where Canadian industries are disadvantaged compared to U.S. industries.]

The majority of Canadian citizens, who have endured insulting remarks from Trump such as being the 51st state of the U.S., are supporting the government's hard-line response, evaluating the suspension of trade negotiations with the U.S. as the right decision.

[Doug Ford / Premier of Ontario, Canada: We will fight with everything we have. And the courage and wisdom in my little toe is more than what he has in his entire body.]

Amid the clash with its closest ally, criticisms emerged within the United States calling it "the stupidest trade war" that "makes no sense economically or politically." Forecasts also emerged 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 damage relief measures for its domestic industries and additional retaliatory tariffs against the U.S.

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