Noureldein GhanemWashington, DC — "It's almost like a declaration of war."
This is how Canadian resident Wayne Richardson describes his thoughts to TRT World about the trade war US President Donald Trump has initiated against Ottawa and others.
Richardson, a 63-year-old Canadian with an experience of over 35 years in the automotive industry, says since Canadian suppliers have contracts with the American Big Three — Ford, General Motors and Stellantis — the tariffs are going to affect the entire supply chain and disrupt the automotive industry.
"The (United) States are going to say, well, we're not going to use Canada now, and they'll look inward to their own suppliers. I don't know how the hell they're going to do that, but that's what they're going to do, because who can afford an additional 25 percent on the parts?" he asks.
Richardson states the impact will affect all Canadian sectors, not just automotive, either immediately or eventually.
"Now there's a movement in Canada to buy homegrown, and we're going to start dealing with Mexico and Britain and Europe, etc," he says. "Trump is basically isolated. He's isolating the US from the world."
Trump's 25 percent tariffs on US neighbours took effect on March 4. Two days later, he announced a pause on tariffs for USMCA-compliant goods and services until April 2.
Canada responded on Wednesday to the US steel and aluminium tariffs by imposing new duties on approximately $20 billion worth of US goods. Mexico has announced its own counter-measures but not imposed yet.
In 2023, Canada and Mexico were the top US export markets, with $680 billion in goods. The US is also their largest export market. Trade among these nations supports over 17 million jobs.
Analysts say the trade wars could be a blow to all three economies.
Trump swinging the tariff hammer can be traced back to his first term.
At the time, his tariffs focused largely on China, adding 10 percent in his second term. Joe Biden, his successor and predecessor, maintained most of these tariffs.
Trump initiated a trade war on February 1 by signing an order imposing tariffs: 25 percent on Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10 percent on China.
On Thursday, Trump threatened a 200 percent tariff on EU wines, champagnes and spirits unless the bloc lifted its whiskey duty.
Despite Trump pausing some tariffs, the threat persists. Global stock markets have plummeted over fears of a US recession due to his trade policies.
Trump has not only threatened tariffs but also suggested annexing Canada, the second-largest country in the world by area, making it the 51st state of the US.
"It does seem like he's kind of picked Canada for some reason, I don't think he's far off. I think he really believes that he can annex us," Richardson says.
Richardson states that Americans will suffer due to tariffs, as Canada will impose counter-levies, creating a lose-lose scenario.
"I don't dislike the (United) States. They've always been our neighbours. Personally, I have no problem with any American. The idiot in the White House, I think he's the most arrogant... He's just the self-centred, orange-based twig," Richardson says.
TRT Global - The US commerce secretary says Trump is working something out with both countries, and a middle ground solution is likely to be the outcome
'Loose cannon'
Echoing a similar sentiment, Terry Freitas, a 48-year-old procurement manager from Ontario, says that the trade war will bite back the Americans.
"I don't think Trump has really done the full scope of calculation because I think it's really going to hurt the US economy as well," Freitas tells TRT World.
Freitas warns that tariffs will impact everyone in Canada, from large corporations to small businesses, and ultimately customers and suppliers.
"Even the smaller companies that are just scraping by and have that 25 percent tariff on for as much as it's the customer that's going to be paying at the end of the day, the customer doesn't want to pay more. So, it eventually will be passed down to the supplier," he says.
He warns that this move could deter suppliers from the US market. Coupled with Canada's counter-tariffs, it may further escalate already high prices.
"If they don't have that market anymore, they're going to have to find other markets. And in the meantime, they can't find the markets, so they're just going to be raising prices," he says.
Voicing his displeasure over the erosion of the bond between the two countries, he says Trump is trying to instill fear so that everyone bows to him.
"I think Trump is a loose cannon ... But at the end of the day, I don't think everybody is going to bow to them," he says.
In 2018, Trump signed the USMCA and it took effect in 2020, replacing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which had been in place since 1992. The agreement was to support mutually beneficial trade resulting in freer markets, fairer trade, and robust economic growth in North America.
Freitas says it was ironic that Trump did this in his first term, only to switch to new tariffs in his second. "He's not making any friends with Canada, that's for sure," he says.
Mexicans express frustration
Mexicans are also expressing their shock and dismay over the trade war initiated by their northern neighbour.
"We were supposed to have an economic bloc trade agreement, and Trump, in his last term, signed a new one because he 'understood' that together we could do it better than alone," Erandi Zamudio, a 30-year-old from Toluca, Mexico, tells TRT World.
Zamudio says she is surprised how Trump has been shifting gears and goal posts.
"I think his ego does not allow him to see the problems he is creating for those who should be his allies."
Trump's tariff changes have frustrated Mexico's negotiators while President Claudia Sheinbaum anticipates USMCA exports will stay tariff-free.
Zamudio suggests that if President Sheinbaum adopts a similar stance, import prices may rise significantly, exacerbating Mexico's longstanding economic insecurity.
Janik Alcantar, a 26-year-old from Toluca who works in finances at a local electoral institute, believes Trump's actions are "irrational" and "random" that may not even preserve USMCA.
Some Mexicans are seeking optimism amid the tariff war.
Hector Xicohtncatl, a 34-year-old government public servant, tells TRT World that his partner has been struggling with job offers due to Trump's actions.
He suggests these actions could indirectly yield positive outcomes, such as compelling Mexico to combat organised crime.
"This does not mean that it will not affect Mexico and its families in the future, but I believe that multinational events such as the World Cup in 2026 will end up directly affecting the tariff agenda," Xicohtncatl says.
Trade war could incite animosity
Economically, the US is Mexico's biggest trading partner, with over 78 percent of the share.
Politically, nevertheless, the two countries haven't always been on the same page, with both sides fretting over many issues for years, including cartels, drug and gun trafficking and immigration.
Many Mexicans worry that Trump's trade war might strain friendships and incite animosity between the two nations.
"He's (Trump) horrible, narcissistic, egomaniac, arrogant. He lacks empathy. He is making people show their most stupid and racist selves," Zamudio says.
"My family is thinking of not visiting the United States in at least four years because we have known of people visiting and facing racism and discrimination."
She warns that Trump's actions might provoke increased resentment towards Americans living in or visiting Mexico.
