The way Canada and Mexico leaders persuaded Mr. Trump to postpone the taxation

Immediately after US President Donald Trump announced that he would impose a 25% tax with the majority of goods imported from two neighboring countries, Canada and Mexico, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau threatened to retaliate immediately and made a speech full of full speeches. Emotions late at night, before the phone talks with Mr. Trump the next morning.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, meanwhile, chose the “carrot instead of the stick” and conducted secret talks with Mr. Trump to reach an agreement before the tariff attack took effect.

Finally, when everything was announced on February 3, a few hours before the ghost of a North American shadow battle, both leaders convinced Mr. Trump to postpone the tax attack with the two partners of injury. American top commercial.

And both have to give in very little in exchange for this success.

Prime Minister Trudeau and President Sheinbaum pursued two different roadmaps to lead to the same result: The US postponed the Canadian and Mexican taxpayer for 30 days in return for the two countries to strengthen the border control to prevent the flow. Fentanyl and immigrants flooded into the United States.

Prime Minister Trudeau has prepared the platform for compromise and retaliation measures from November 2024. Three days after the first President’s elected president threatened to impose tax on November 25, 2024, the Canadian leader boarded the plane to Mar-A-Lago to talk to Mr. Trump about how to do it. Preventing a “ruin” can cause deep damage to the Canadian economy.

According to experts, this first meeting was the foundation for Canada to directly solve what President Trump wanted: A safer northern border, with fewer illegal migrants and stricter control. Fentanyl poured into the US.

A few weeks after the meeting in Mar-A-Lago, many turning points took place quickly. First, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that he would resign as his prestige and the ruling party fell more and more due to many problems, especially economics. On March 9, the free Party will elect new leadership, who will become the next Canadian Prime Minister, at least until the federal election is held later this year.

Some of the top Prime Minister Trudeau’s ministers said they would not participate in the race to the Liberal Party leadership, in order to focus all their energy into the upcoming tariff battle with the United States. Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and Finance Minister Dominic Leblanc, two close allies of Mr. Trudeau and potential successors, have strengthened the campaign of the Republican’s key members in the United States in order to impact. To Mr. Trump’s point of view.

LeBlanc built a “close friendship” with Howard Lutnick, who was chosen by President Trump as Minister of Trade. Secretary of State Joly visited the United States 5 times, connected with senior Republican members and talked to the “border tycoon” Tom Homan.

She reassured them that Canada will take the lead in the border protection effort so that the US does not need to use too much resources.

“I say we know that the southern border is the biggest concern for you, so we will focus resources on the northern border,” Canadian Foreign Minister said in an interview, Referring to the message to the Republic of people she met. “In that way, you can put your resources to the southern border.”

But Prime Minister Trudeau also stated that he would apply retaliation for the United States if President Trump still decided to carry out tariff threat. Government officials said Mr. Trudeau believes that it is important to protect Canada in a more drastic way, in parallel with the effort to meet the requirements from the White House boss.

Canada last December implemented a $ 900 million plan to enhance border protection. According to this plan, Ottawa will immediately deploy two Blackhawk helicopters, 60 unmanned aircraft (UAVs) manufactured by the United States to the border and strengthen border forces to deal with drug criminals and people overtaking. illegal marginal edge.

On February 1, after the White House announced that President Trump would still impose tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico, Prime Minister Trudeau spoke nationwide late at night, sending messages to both Canadians and people. America.

“We do not want to face this situation,” he said, reminded of the deep relationship between the two neighboring countries, the two close trading partners. “We don’t ask for this.”

However, when presenting in detail his retaliation plan, he asserted: “We will be resilient to protect Canada.”

During the phone call on the morning of February 3, the Canadian Prime Minister did not reach compromise with Mr. Trump. This caused anxiety to last a few hours, but the second call in the end of the afternoon brought a breakthrough, with President Trump’s agreement to delay the tax period for a month to create time for the two countries. solve issues of concern.

The foundation of the agreement has been built for weeks, but Canada is also committed to acting more on the anti -drug front, appointing a “Fentanyl response tycoon”, and committed to providing more sources. force to fight against organized criminals and gangs. In addition to such commitments, they do not have to accept any more unfavorable terms.

In Mexico, President Sheinbaum showed a softer approach, focusing on partnerships in negotiations with Mr. Trump and showed goodwill by not taking instant retaliation.

Mexico is the largest commodity trade partner with the United States, also the world’s leading market for food and agricultural export of US food and agriculture, with an import amount of more than $ 29 billion. Therefore, the 25% tariff level that Mr. Trump announced would be a heavy blow with the country.

Even before being elected president in June last year, sheinbaum and her group prepared Mr. Trump to return to the White House. Mexican President later repeated that she did not worry even when Mr. Trump threatened to expel a series of illegal immigrants and impose taxes on Mexico.

The day after Mr. Trump was elected, she pledged to “establish good communication and relationship” with the new government in Washington.

Unlike Canada, the country has clearly defined both tax retaliation plans for US goods and border security plans to resolve requirements from the White House owner, President Sheinbaum and the group. Her is more tight -lipped.

After Mr. Trump ordered the taxpayer last weekend, sheinbaum did not rush to make a decision to respond, but quietly waiting for the opportunity, committed to announce the “Plan B” later.

By the end of February 1, she and Prime Minister Trudeau talked to discuss important notes. According to a Canadian official who understands the call, the two have updated each other about the strategy that each party pursues and admits that their approach is a bit different, but with the same goal.

On the morning of February 3, Ms. Sheinbaum and Mr. Trump talked over the phone, a call that brought the results faster than the phone between the White House boss and the Canadian leader. Shortly thereafter, President Mexico posted on social network X that she achieved compromise.

Speaking to reporters, she said the discussion took place in the direction of “very respectful”. Mr. Trump described the call “extremely friendly”.

Mr. Trump agreed to postpone the taxpayer for 30 days, in return Mexico will strengthen border protection measures and control Fentanyl. This concession, like the case of Canada, is in the plan outlined by the leaders of the two countries.

“We have this month to work and convince each other that this is the best way forward,” Sheinbaum said at the regular morning press conference after talking to Mr. Trump.

The Mexican President said she told the American counterpart: “We will produce good results for their people, as well as for the people of Mexico.”