Former U.S. Envoy Says Trump Pushed Canada Toward China After Trade Talks Collapsed
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 9
Former U.S. Envoy Says Trump Pushed Canada Toward China After Trade Talks Collapsed
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 9
Summary
David L. Cohen, Biden’s former ambassador to Canada, said Trump’s aggressive trade pressure and “51st state” rhetoric pushed Ottawa to explore broader deals with China after U.S.-Canada talks broke down last month.
Cohen argued the irony is that a policy meant to counter China is driving allies to reconsider Beijing, even as Canada’s anti-Trump politics make any deal harder for Prime Minister Mark Carney to sell at home.
Mark Carney said Washington’s demands sought “dependency, not a true economic partnership,” while Vice President JD Vance accused Canada of treating Chinese goods more fairly than products from U.S. border states.
Cohen said legitimate disputes remain, including Canada’s dairy tariff-rate quotas, but he credited Trump for the USMCA and said professional negotiators had been making progress before the breakdown.
Jamieson Greer won Cohen’s praise as a skilled trade negotiator, while Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick drew criticism as the former envoy urged both sides to return to quieter, professional talks.