The Atlantic

Trump's Beef With Canadian Milk

Why pick a fight with Canada, of all places?
Source: Christinne Muschi / Reuters

President Trump’s Twitter jab at Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—in which he publicly called the leader of an allied country “meek and mild,” plus “dishonest & weak”—spawned a mini–cottage industry of articles (including my own) on the fate of the U.S.-led Western world order. And at first glance it’s puzzling why Trump would pick a fight with Canada, of all places, just as he was departing a summit meeting there.

But in the same tweet he was pretty explicit about the source of his beef: It’s dairy. Referring to steel and aluminum tariffs he has imposed on Canada, : “Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!” He has a point. But Trump’s complaint

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