Donald Trump wasted no time in mocking Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Monday night after one of his most powerful and loyal ministers resigned from Cabinet.
Trudeau, who called Trump “governor,” faced the biggest test of his political career after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland sensationally resigned after clashing with Trudeau over issues such as how to handle possible U.S. tariffs.
“The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Minister of Finance resigns, or is dismissed, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday evening, mocking the Canadian Prime Minister.
“Her behavior was completely toxic and not at all conducive to making deals that are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be missed!!!’
Freeland’s resignation was an unexpected blow to Trudeau’s already unpopular government. She announced her resignation in a candid letter shared on X, citing deep disagreements over policy.
“I have come to the conclusion that the only fair and feasible path for me is to resign from Cabinet,” she wrote, hinting at an irreparable rift with Trudeau over crucial economic decisions.
The stunning move raised questions about how much longer the prime minister of nearly a decade can stay in office as his administration scrambles to deal with incoming President-elect Trump.
Donald Trump wasted no time in mocking Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday night after one of his most powerful and loyal ministers resigned from Cabinet. The pair were pictured when Trudeau visited Mar-a-Lago last month
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland sensationally resigned after clashing with Trudeau over issues including how to deal with potential US tariffs
Trump mocked the resignation of Trudeau’s closest minister who resigned Monday night, calling him “governor” instead of his correct title of prime minister
Trump already made fun of Trudeau last week by calling Canada the 51st state and appeared to have nicknamed him “governor” – a much less prestigious title than prime minister.
During Trump’s first term — when he renegotiated the free trade deal with Canada and Mexico — Trump said Freeland was not liked.
Trudeau had dinner with Trump on November 29, and although both said it was “very productive,” sources said Trump couldn’t resist making a joke at his counterpart by joking that Canada ‘could become a state.’
At the end of their evening, Trump gave Trudeau a copy of Mar-a-Lago’s magazine, which was filled with details about membership and advertisements for plastic surgery, an anonymous Canadian source revealed.
On Monday evening, insiders said Freeland’s departure stemmed from Trudeau’s attempt to demote her from the post of finance minister, leaving her in a less influential role.
But she said in her resignation letter that leaving the cabinet was the only “fair and feasible path.”
“Over the past few weeks, you and I have been at odds over the best path forward for Canada,” Freeland said.
The turning point came when Trump threatened to impose a punitive 25 percent tariff on Canadian imports, a measure that could cripple the Canadian economy.
In Freeland’s resignation letter, she described Trump’s intended policies as an existential threat.
In a stinging resignation letter, Freeland described Trump’s proposed tariffs as an existential threat
Trump has touted tariffs during his 2024 campaign as a way to bend other countries such as Canada to his will, although critics point out that the cost of import taxes is generally passed on to consumers.
“Our country faces a serious challenge today. The new administration in the United States is pursuing a policy of aggressive economic nationalism, including the threat of a 25 percent tariff,” she warned.
‘We must take that threat very seriously. That means we need to keep our budget powder dry today so we have the reserves we might need for an upcoming tariff war.”
The proposed tariffs threaten to spark a trade war with serious consequences for both economies.
Last month, Trudeau told reporters that Canada should take Trump’s tariff threat seriously.
“One of the things that’s really important to understand is that when Donald Trump makes statements like this, he intends to carry them out,” Trudeau said. according to the Globe and Mail. “There’s no doubt about it.”
“Our responsibility is to point out that in this way he would not only harm Canadians who work so well with the United States, but also raise prices for American citizens and harm American industry and businesses.” Trudeau added.
The president-elect touted tariffs during his 2024 campaign as a way to bend other countries to his will, though critics pointed out that the cost of import taxes is typically passed on to consumers.
Trump prepares to return to the White House from his Mar-a-Lago estate, where he recently held dinner with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
One person familiar with the November meeting called it a “positive, extended dinner that lasted three hours.”
Trump won a second term in part because he promised to be better for the economy than President Joe Biden and later Vice President Kamala Harris, as Americans continue to feel financially challenged by high prices in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Back in Canada, Freeland and Trudeau also disagreed over a two-month sales tax exemption and the recently announced $250 checks to Canadians.
Freeland said Canada is dealing with this Trump’s threat to impose far-reaching tariffs and must refrain from ‘costly political gimmicks’ that it ‘cannot afford’.
Trudeau quickly appointed his longtime ally and close friend Dominic LeBlanc, the Public Safety Minister who recently sat down with him at a dinner with Trump at Mar-a-Lago last month, to replace Freeland. Freeland did not go on the trip to Florida.
After being sworn in, LeBlanc told reporters that he and Trudeau are focused on the cost of living facing Canadians and finding common ground with Trump on border security and economic issues.
“It was not an easy day,” Trudeau later told a room full of party supporters. He called it one of the “toughest days” of his party, but he did not say what he planned to do.
Freeland, who chairs a Cabinet committee on U.S. relations, was scheduled to deliver the fall economic statement and likely announce border security measures aimed at helping Canada avoid Trump’s tariffs.
Freeland resigned on Monday after clashing with Trudeau over issues including how to deal with possible US tariffs, in a major blow to an already unpopular government.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is photographed after making a surprise trip to Mar-a-Lago late last month to meet President-elect Donald Trump
Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products entering the US from Canada and Mexico unless neighboring countries reduce migrant and drug numbers.
Trudeau has said he plans to lead the Liberal Party into the next election, but many party members have said they do not want him to run for a fourth term, and Freeland’s departure was a huge blow.
Trudeau met with his lawmakers Monday evening. Later, most of them walked past reporters and refused to say what was said at the meeting.
No Canadian prime minister in more than a century has won four consecutive terms.
The federal elections must take place before October next year.