Summary

In a virtual speech at the World Economic Forum, Trump suggested Canada could become a U.S. state to avoid his proposed tariffs on imports.

The remark elicited gasps from the audience.

Trump claimed the U.S. does not need Canadian lumber, energy, or vehicles, vastly overstating the trade deficit between the two nations.

He reiterated his intention to impose tariffs, potentially as high as 25%, on imports from Canada and Mexico starting February 1.

Economists warn such tariffs would raise prices for U.S. consumers.

  • HighFructoseLowStand@lemm.ee
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    3 minutes ago

    I would welcome fifty new Congressional districts, the overwhelming majority of which would vote Blue within an American political framework.

  • Queen HawlSera@lemm.ee
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    15 minutes ago

    How does this lower the price of my god damn eggs?

    Also he does know that Canada would be yet another blue state right?

    • Pyr_Pressure@lemmy.ca
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      3 minutes ago

      Each province/territory would insist on being its own state so Canada would at least probably become 10 blue states and 3 red states if not 11/2. Not sure how Manitoba would swing.

  • Someone@lemmy.ca
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    2 hours ago

    I bet he’ll end up sprinkling in a handful of very specific exemptions. These are what we need to slap export taxes on. Doesn’t need to be much, but match his 25%. At best it’ll hammer them where they need it, at worst it’ll keep things fair for all our exporters.

  • HappySkullsplitter@lemmy.world
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    1 hour ago

    So much political theater and me without my opera glasses

    Cutting off trade with Canada would devastate the US economy overnight

  • acargitz@lemmy.ca
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    1 hour ago

    Why isn’t Canada summoning the US ambassador to demand official explanations?

    • Madison420@lemmy.world
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      56 minutes ago

      They don’t need explanation or translation for “he dumb and doesn’t understand money outside of wanting more”.

  • r0ertel@lemmy.world
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    13 hours ago

    I’m going to keep posting this every time I see a reference to US tariffs against Canada.

    https://pluralistic.net/2025/01/15/beauty-eh/

    The TL;DR is that tariffs would violate the NAFTA / USMCA treaty in which Canada agreed to respect US copyright law in exchange for free trade. No free trade? Canada doesn’t need to respect US copyright any longer and can become a flourishing economy of products to compete with US products that are massively overpriced. Think printer ink and other stuff.

    • runeko@programming.dev
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      4 hours ago

      Yes, please, Canadian produced pharmaceuticals + 15% tariff = an order of magnitude cheaper than what we can buy in the States.

      • r0ertel@lemmy.world
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        7 hours ago

        I was thinking to host pirate sites of US movies, software, etc. Get the US companies to tell the orange buffoon to behave or better yet, move the companies to Canada.

        I really like the article’s reference to manufacturing US DMCA-breaking technologies and forcing devices to host app stores in Canada where the government can declare the 30% Apple tax illegal.

      • NotSteve_@lemmy.ca
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        10 hours ago

        Idk if it’s just for individuals, but our ISPs generally don’t care about pirating already. I use a VPN to pirate here but just set to another city in Canada. I only even do that because I run jellyfin and have terabytes of downloads a month.

        Worst case scenario is the ISP sends you a notice that the media companies are mad, but that’s the end of it. They won’t pursue anything further because they don’t care

        • ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca
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          10 hours ago

          It’s not illegal to download something, it’s illegal to host something (seeding)

          ISPs are compelled to notify you of copyright notices but they can’t hand your information over so you can only get caught if you respond

          • lazylion_ca@lemmy.ca
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            9 hours ago

            And even if you are dumb enough to respond to one of those emails, the liability is limited to something $50 per title. So it’s not worth the money to pay a lawyer to go after anyone. They will however try to trick you into a private settlement.

            • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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              5 hours ago

              No no no, you must charge every user with willful commercial infringement and penalize them $250,000 per violation. It is the American way!

  • AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world
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    12 hours ago

    I still remember fondly the Trump speech at the UN when the whole assembly laughed at him.

    I suspect that there’s going to be a lot more of that to come.

  • notsoshaihulud@lemmy.world
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    14 hours ago

    Besides this being a distraction, it’s more likely that in this case Canada would end up politically annexing the USA:

    • The 2 Senators and 50 something electoral votes for “Canada State” would mean that Canadians would end up controlling US politics. :D

    Of course if one assumes that elections remain binding in the Turd Reich.

  • Zier@fedia.io
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    18 hours ago

    Here’s the plan. The Northern US states all join Canada. The Southern Half of US states join Mexico. The US is gone. Canada & Mexico join to become 1 huge nation. (putin shits himself!) And then we deport ALL the conservatives out of North America, and live happily ever after. Problem solved. You’re Welcome.

  • Cassa
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    20 hours ago

    Remember when he said he was gonna end the war in gaza and ukraine?

    Or cut the prices on gas and food?

    Yea, this is abuse of the news cycle. It’s just manipulation of news cycle so you don’t think about any losses, mistakes or other shit.