Trump Slams Canada. Row Over Retaliatory Tariffs Continues

US President Donald Trump has slammed Canada after its Prime Minister Mark Carney announced retaliatory tariffs following the break down of trade talks between the two North American neighbors.

Trump again sought to portray Canada as a "US State" in his Truth Social post.

"Canada wants the benefits of being a State, without being one!!! They have also charged our great farmers, for many years, massive amounts of Tariffs. No more!!! " Trump posted.

This is not the first time that Trump has sought to make references linking Canada as a "US state."

The US President has made several references in his second term in the White House, including his "51st State" of America post, which enraged the Canadians.

The break down in trade talks led the US to impose 50% tariff on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, according to an Associated Press report.

The US President's import taxes, which came into force on Saturday. are expected to impact about 5% of Ottawa's shipments to Washington annually.

The Canadian imports include a wide range of products, from hockey sticks to tongue depressors. Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement, "Canada will match those tariffs dollar for dollar to protect our workers and businesses."

Canada's PM Mark Carney had announced that retaliatory tariffs would come into effect on September 8. Reports said these tariffs would target the US steel and dairy industries.

The "dollar for dollar" tariffs on imports of US steel, electronics and other products signal a "a further worsening of relations between the longtime allies and major trading partners," ABC News reported.

Canada's retaliatory move has also escalated the trade war between the two countries, apart from casting doubts on the future of a North American trade pact between the US, Canada, and Mexico, seen as vital for the industry in all three countries.

The US tariffs would hit a host of products in sectors including wine, furniture, dairy products, cement, clothing, fishing rods and hockey equipment.

Carney said his country would offer tariff protection for industries exposed to the new US duties, including some steel products as well as the dairy, appliance, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper and electronics sectors.

The new tariffs imposed by Washington would cover nearly 5 percent of Canada's exports to the US. The tiff has further strained the relationship between two countries, which have had historically close economic and political ties.

Canada had reportedly agreed to drop its retaliatory tariffs on US steel, aluminium and automobiles on the condition that the US also agreed to substantially cut down its own tariffs. That did not work out.

Canada was also reportedly cool to the idea of encouraging its provinces to restore US alcohol sales, according to Carney. The Canadian Prime Minister alleged that the final demands made by the US were too stretched. These reportedly included steps Canada considered as unacceptable, including terms that curtailed Canada's ability to negotiate trade agreements with other countries.

The US has backed the new tariffs as inevitable. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Washington had to act after a year of 'retaliation' by Canada.