President Trump said early Thursday that it would be “very hard” to make a trade deal with Canada after its prime minister said he plans to recognize Palestine as a state. It was Mr. Trump’s latest threat against an ally on the eve of a deadline to impose tariffs.
Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada had said on Wednesday that Canada would recognize Palestine as a state if the Palestinian Authority commits to certain conditions, including holding elections.
“That will make it very hard for us to make a trade deal with them,” Mr. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform shortly after midnight on Thursday.
The president had set a deadline of Aug. 1 for countries to finish negotiating trade deals with his administration, otherwise tariffs of up to 50 percent would be imposed on the products they send to the United States. Come Friday, exports from Canada, the United States’ second-largest trading partner, would bear a 35 percent tariff.
Canada’s announcement followed a similar move last week by President Emmanuel Macron of France to recognize Palestine. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday said Britain would recognize Palestine if Israel did not reach a cease-fire agreement on the war in Gaza by September. Mr. Trump has dismissed Mr. Macron’s announcement, saying it “doesn’t carry any weight.”
Francesca Regalado is a Times reporter covering breaking news.
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