"Trudeau is very dishonest, weak, a far left lunatic."
These are the words of U.S. President Donald Trump from 2022 regarding his distain for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his handling of COVID-19 mandates.
Trudeau's provocations of Trump over the years have circled back to curse Canada. Trump threatened brutal 25% tariffs on Canadian goods including steel, aluminum and copper and a 10% tariff on oil and gas — days after his election. he gave Canada a 30 grace period this week.
The relationship has oscillated between diplomatic decorum and outright disdain, marked by a series of public feuds, insults, and confrontations.
In 2016 after Trump's first election, Trudeau emphasized Canada's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, which was a rebuke of Trump's campaign rhetoric.
The G7 Summit in Quebec in 2018 became a flashpoint of irritation for Trump. After he departed, Trudeau held a press conference reaffirming Canada's stance on trade, saying, "Canadians, we’re polite, we’re reasonable, but we also will not be pushed around."
Trump responded with a fiery tweet, labeling Trudeau as "very dishonest and weak," and withdrew his support from the G7 communique, accusing Trudeau of betraying him. Trump's trade adviser, Peter Navarro, went further, saying there was "a special place in hell" for Trudeau.
At the 2019 NATO summit in London, Trudeau was caught on a hot mic with other world leaders, mocking Trump's lengthy press conferences and the surprised reactions of his staff. Trump, upon learning of this, called Trudeau "two-faced" during a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, highlighting his dislike of Trudeau's alleged insincerity.
John Bolton's book The Room Where It Happened revealed Trump's intense dislike for Trudeau, recounting how Trump instructed his staff to attack Trudeau in media appearances. This was after Trudeau criticized Trump's approach to international relations and leadership style.
In 2023-2024, Trudeau's dislike of Trump was more heated as he linked the MAGA movement with Canadian politics, criticizing it as a "threat" to Canada.
Trudeau described his opposition opponents as "maple-syrup MAGA conservatives," suggesting they adopted similar policies to Trump on issues like climate change and social rights. During this time, Trudeau frequently used Trump's policies to contrast with "Canadian values."
After Trump's re-election, Trudeau lamented America's choice not to elect its first female president, Kamala Harris — an insult to Trump.
In response to Trump's new tariff policies, Trudeau called them "frankly insulting" and "unacceptable," emphasizing the absurdity of viewing Canadian steel and aluminum as a national security threat to the U.S.
Trump often uses social media to respond to Trudeau's comments. From calling Trudeau "dishonest and weak," to describing him as "two-faced."
Trump's team, including Larry Kudlow and Peter Navarro, have publicly attacked Trudeau, with Navarro's "special place in hell" comment being one of the most aggressive.
Withdrawing from the G7 communique, canceling meetings, and suggesting tariffs were among Trump's more formal responses to Trudeau's provocations.