Patricia Lopez, Columnist

Trump Lost the Trade War He Started With Canada

The president has shown he’s willing to blow up long-standing alliances for minor, mostly symbolic concessions. How is that a win?

February 5, 2025 at 5:15 AM EST

By Patricia Lopez

Patricia Lopez is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics and policy. She is a former member of the editorial board at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, where she also worked as a senior political editor and reporter.

Round one to the maple leaf.
Photographer: Steph Chambers/Getty Images

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Hours after President Donald Trump had said he would impose a potentially crippling 25% tariff on Canadian goods, the Minnesota Wild faced off against the Ottawa Senators. As the Star-Spangled Banner began playing to a sold-out crowd, the Canadian audience started booing — heavily. The same thing happened at games in Ontario, and Calgary, and Alberta.

Ostensibly, Trump’s reason for the tariff threat is illegal immigration and fentanyl trafficking. Both are serious issues, but Canada plays little role in either problem. Canadians have noticed.