WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has long railed about unfair trade practices of China and Mexico. Now he’s drawn a new target — Canada.
The two countries are suddenly sparring openly over inexpensive Canadian timber and Canada’s barriers to U.S. dairy products — disputes that go back years but rarely get such a public airing.
Before sunrise Tuesday in Washington, Trump went on Twitter to declare: “Canada has made business for our dairy farmers in Wisconsin and other border states very difficult. We will not stand for this. Watch!”
Hours earlier, his Commerce Department had announced plans to impose duties averaging 20 percent on softwood lumber imports from Canada. U.S. homebuilders quickly warned that the move would drive up the cost of new houses.