President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States "will not restart" trade discussions with Canada, signaling a fresh freeze in relations between the two longtime allies after months of stalled negotiations, reports Reuters.
He did not outline conditions for resuming talks or specify additional measures the administration might take.
The remark underscores a hardening stance toward America's largest trading partner at a time when the two economies remain closely integrated under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which replaced NAFTA.
While USMCA sets rules for most cross-border commerce, the U.S. and Canada's governments periodically open side discussions to address disputes and implementation questions. Trump's statement indicates those talks are on hold.
The comment comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Ottawa over a range of economic disputes.
Canada recently moved forward with its digital services tax, a measure that targets large American technology companies such as Google, Amazon, and Meta. The U.S. has argued that the tax unfairly singles out American firms and violates the spirit of the USMCA.
Canadian officials have maintained that the levy is intended to ensure tech giants pay their fair share and have downplayed the broader trade implications.
Ottawa has not yet responded publicly to Trump's remarks.
Trade relations between the two countries have been strained since early summer, when the U.S. raised concerns about Canadian subsidies in the electric-vehicle and steel sectors. Talks to address the disputes were expected to resume this fall, but Trump's comments Friday suggest that prospect is now off the table.
Trump last week said he would impose an additional 10% tariff on Canadian goods after Ontario aired a television ad that used audio of former President Ronald Reagan denouncing tariffs.
"The sole purpose of this FRAUD was Canada's hope that the United States Supreme Court will come to their 'rescue' on Tariffs that they have used for years to hurt the United States," Trump said on Truth Social.
"Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10% over and above what they are paying now. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
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