A Canadian provincial premier called President Trump a “bad person” in the middle of high-stakes trade talks, showing just how personal some Canadian leaders have made a fight over unfair trade practices.
Story Snapshot
- Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew called Trump “erratic,” “irresponsible,” and a “bad person” during tariff negotiations.
- The insult came weeks after Trump slapped 50% tariffs on some Canadian goods over unfair trade practices.
- The White House says the tariffs protect American workers and fix an unfair playing field.
- Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney still struck a trade deal despite the heated rhetoric.
Manitoba Premier Launches Personal Attack
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew went after President Trump directly on Thursday, telling reporters Canada should keep fighting instead of rushing into a deal. “Everybody knows the American president by now, he’s erratic, he’s irresponsible, and he’s not to be trusted,” Kinew said. He added a blunt warning to his own government: “you can’t make a good deal with a bad person”.
Kinew’s comments landed as Canadian officials negotiated with the Trump administration over tariffs that had already hit key Canadian exports. Rather than tone down the rhetoric to protect his country’s economic interests, Kinew chose to escalate it. That approach fits a broader trend among Canadian leaders who have treated public insults as part of their negotiating strategy against Washington.
Why Trump Imposed the Tariffs
President Trump signed three proclamations under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, placing additional 50% tariffs on certain Canadian goods. The White House said the move was meant to defend American workers and level the playing field for crucial U.S. exports like cars, alcohol, and dairy, calling it a direct response to Canada’s discriminatory treatment of American products.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer defended the strategy before the Senate Finance Committee, calling America’s $1.2 trillion trade deficit a “national emergency.” Greer said the tariffs on Canada were “very tailored” to address specific harm to American alcohol, dairy, and auto industries, and he flatly denied that the tariffs had raised prices for American families when a senator pressed him.
Greer told senators the administration had already given Canada “the best treatment available in the world” over the past year, yet Canada kept taking actions the U.S. opposed. That, he said, forced the administration to escalate pressure through tariffs. It’s a common-sense position: America shouldn’t keep absorbing one-sided trade deals just to avoid hurt feelings north of the border.
Canada’s Pattern of Insulting Rhetoric
Kinew is far from the first Canadian official to trade in insults instead of solutions. Prime Minister Mark Carney himself called the negotiations “nasty” back in early August, after Trump made critical remarks about Canada and its leadership. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had already accused Trump of “catering to Russia” while blasting the tariffs as “extremely foolish”.
This pattern suggests Canadian leaders have found it politically useful at home to paint Trump as the villain, rallying domestic support rather than addressing the trade practices that triggered American tariffs in the first place. Playing the victim may work well on Canadian television, but it does nothing to fix the underlying trade imbalance that prompted President Trump to act.
A Deal Gets Done Anyway
Despite the name-calling, President Trump announced in mid-August that the United States and Canada had reached what he called a “very fair” trade agreement. He paused the scheduled 50% tariffs for three days after what he described as a “good conversation” with Carney, giving negotiators room to finalize terms.
The outcome shows President Trump’s tariff pressure produced real results at the bargaining table, regardless of the insults thrown his way by Canadian officials. Calling the American president a “bad person” didn’t stop Canada from coming back to the table and accepting a deal. For conservatives, it’s proof that firm, results-driven leadership beats empty rhetoric every time.
Sources:
youtube.com, apnews.com, scmp.com, cnbc.com, cbc.ca
