Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was dealt a shocking blow in his government and President-elect Donald Trump wasted no time reacting.
The two met up at Trump’s Florida home last month after the incoming president threatened Canada with increased tariffs over the flow of migrants and drugs illegally over the shared border. Trump even poked fun at Trudeau’s concerns over his economy by inviting Canada to join the U.S. and have the current prime minister be its “governor.”
On Monday, Trump weighed in on the stunning exit of one of Trudeau’s most loyal ministers, who resigned from the Cabinet.
“The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau,” Trump wrote on Truth Social after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned over disagreements with the nation’s leader.
“Her behavior was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be missed!!!'” Trump added of the woman who also served as deputy prime minister,
Trudeau’s decade-long leadership was dealt a major blow with Freeland’s resignation. She shared her reasons in a blistering post on social media after it was reported that Trudeau had asked her last week to take on a lesser position in his government.
“On Friday, you told me you no longer want me to serve as your Finance Minister and offered me another position in the Cabinet. Upon reflection, I have concluded that the only honest and viable path is for me to resign from the Cabinet,” Freeland said in her letter.
See my letter to the Prime Minister below // Veuillez trouver ma lettre au Premier ministre ci-dessous pic.twitter.com/NMMMcXUh7A
— Chrystia Freeland (@cafreeland) December 16, 2024
“For the past number of weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada,” she continued.
“Our country today faces a grave challenge. The incoming administration in the United States is pursuing a policy of aggressive economic nationalism, including a threat of 25 per cent tariffs,” Freeland wrote. “We need to take that threat extremely seriously.”
“That means keeping our fiscal powder dry today, so we have the reserves we may need for a coming tariff war. That means eschewing costly political gimmicks, which we can ill afford and which make Canadians doubt that we recognize the gravity of the moment,” Freeland charged.
“That means pushing back against ‘America First’ economic nationalism with a determined effort to fight for capital and investment and the jobs they bring,” she continued in her direct jab at the U.S. and the incoming Trump administration.
“I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues as a Liberal Member of Parliament, and I am committed to running again for my seat in Toronto in the next federal election,” she concluded.
Following Freeland’s exit, Trudeau named longtime ally Dominic LeBlanc to replace her. The prime minister’s close friend has served as the public safety minister and was with him at Mar-a-Lago last month.
“It’s not been an easy day,” Trudeau told reporters
