The Daily Populous Saturday January 24th, 2026 evening edition
Authored by cbc.ca and submitted by AlpacaGhidorah

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For updates on Trump's latest tariff threat, see our live coverage here.

U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening to impose a 100 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods entering the United States if Canada "makes a deal with China" — a forceful message that comes days after Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, widely viewed as pushback on U.S. actions.

Trump did not specifiy what a "deal" means in his social media post. Last week, Canada reached an agreement with China to allow 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into the market at a lowered tariff rate of 6.1 per cent in exchange for China lowering tariffs on Canadian canola.

"If Governor Carney thinks he is going to make Canada a 'Drop Off Port' for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken," the U.S. president wrote in his post.

"China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life," Trump said.

In a followup post, the president said, "The last thing the world needs is to have China take over Canada. It's NOT going to happen, or even come close to happening!"

Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks at the beginning of a cabinet planning forum, at the Citadelle in Quebec City on Thursday. (Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press)

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said in a statement posted to social media , "There is no pursuit of a free trade deal with China. What was achieved was resolution on several important tariff issues."

LeBlanc added: "As the Prime Minister said this week, Canada and the United States have built a remarkable partnership in our economy and security — and we will remain focused on ensuring the future of that relationship will benefit workers and businesses on both sides of our border."

The U.S. president's social media posts are a departure from his initial comments after Canada struck the agreement with the Chinese government. He appeared unfazed and said last week the agreement is a "good thing."

"That's what [Carney] should ⁠be doing. It's a good thing ‍for him to sign a trade deal. If you ⁠can get a deal with China, you should do ‍that," Trump told reporters at the ‍White ⁠House at the time.

CBC News has reached out to the Prime Minister's Office for comment.

Carney has not taken media questions since returning to Canada from his trip to China, Qatar and Davos — and in a week where he twice spoke out forcefully against Trump.

The prime minister was scheduled to take reporters' questions after two days of meetings with his front benches in Quebec City — standard fare at these retreats. But moments before Carney was expected to appear, his news conference was cancelled.

An official cited the prime minister's schedule as the reason why.

Escalating U.S. actions after Carney's Davos speech

Earlier this week, Carney was lauded by global leaders for his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos — where he said "American hegemony" and "great powers" are using economic integration as "weapons."

"The old order is not coming back," he said. "We should not mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy. But from the fracture, we can build something better, stronger and more just."

In his own speech on Wednesday, Trump said that "Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements."

WATCH | Examining Carney and Trump's Davos speeches: Why Trump just threatened Canada in Davos | About That | Duration 9:54 U.S. President Donald Trump shot back at Prime Minister Mark Carney's comments at the World Economic Forum about a new way forward for countries seeking distance from U.S. influence. Andrew Chang breaks down key moments from both leaders' speeches, highlighting shifts in both Canada's global strategy and the deteriorating relationship between two longtime allies. Images provided by The Canadian Press, Reuters and Getty Images

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick criticized Canada for "complaining" about its treatment by the Trump administration while enjoying the "second-best" trade deal of any country in the world with the U.S.

"Give me a break, they have the second-best deal in the world and all I gotta do is listen to this guy whine and complain," Lutnick said during a media interview in Davos.

Trump later announced he was withdrawing an invitation for Carney to join his "Board of Peace" initiative for Gaza.

Ministers, premiers push back against Trump

While speaking to reporters ahead of a Liberal caucus meeting in Ottawa, Justice Minister Sean Fraser pushed back against Trump calling Carney "governor."

"[Carney] is the prime minister of Canada, a G7 economy. He is doing a bang-up job. He clearly set the course forward," Fraser said.

The justice minister also said Carney's speech was not a mistake given Trump's reaction; instead, "it was the right message at the right time from the right guy."

WATCH | Cabinet ministers push back on Trump's latest tariff threat: Cabinet ministers react to Trump's latest tariff threat | Duration 8:42 Politicians in Ottawa and elsewhere are reacting after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Saturday to impose 100 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods if the country 'makes a deal with China.' Canadian Identity and Culture Minister Marc Miller said the government will take Trump's statement seriously, 'but we have to control what we control.'

Culture Minister Marc Miller said Trump's post is a "serious statement, but we have to control what we control."

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew — whose province benefits from Canada's agreement with China over canola tariffs — said on social media that "Canada will never be taken over. Not by China. Not by Trump. We will always be the TRUE NORTH strong and free."

B.C. Premier David Eby expressed his support for Carney, saying "you're on the right path Mark. Canada must stand on our own two feet. British Columbia has your back."

Chewbacca319 on January 24th, 2026 at 14:35 UTC »

8 days ago reporters asked trump what he thought about the Canada China trade deal. He said it was good and that Canada should make a deal with China if they can.

This tantrum is 100% reactionary to the speech Carney gave at the World Economic Forum. What a fucking pedophile dipshit

canada_mountains on January 24th, 2026 at 14:33 UTC »

> “Well, that's OK, that's what you should be doing. I mean, it's a good thing for him (Prime Minister Mark Carney) to sign a trade deal. If you can get a deal with China, you should do that, right?” said Trump at the White House on Thursday.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/trump-carney-china-deal-9.7049201

LOL

trgreg on January 24th, 2026 at 14:31 UTC »

what was that line from earlier in the week? oh ya ... "But when we only negotiate bilaterally with a hegemon, we negotiate from weakness. We accept what is offered. We compete with each other to be the most accommodating. This is not sovereignty. It is the performance of sovereignty while accepting subordination,"