Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in West Palm Beach, Florida, in a last-ditch attempt to stop Trump’s threatened 25% tariffs against Canada.
Trudeau was photographed having dinner with Trump at the club, and was reportedly accompanied by the Public Safety Minister of Canada, Dominic LeBlanc.
LeBlanc holds the responsibility for Canada’s Border Services Agency, which is responsible for controlling the Canadian side of the Canada-U.S. border. President Trump has demanded firmer border security from both Canada and Mexico to avoid the imposition of tariffs.
The left-liberal Trudeau has had major ideological differences with President Trump, leading to frequent clashes during Trump’s first presidency. Canada’s historically open immigration policy, particularly to asylum seekers and refugees, has made it a popular stop for migrants on the way to the United States. Nevertheless, as elections in Canada approach, Trudeau has attempted to shift to the right on immigration, potentially creating opportunities to find common ground with Trump.
Trump is also involved in tough negotiations with Mexico’s leftist President, Claudia Sheinbaum, who has taken a tough posture against Trump’s migration policies. Sheinbaum has denied Trump’s claim that she agreed to help close the U.S.-Mexico border, suggesting that she merely reiterated Mexico’s belief in “building bridges” between different nations.
It remains to be seen whether Trump’s bold gambit will succeed, but the trade dependency that both Mexico and Canada have on the United States puts him in a strong position.
