Donald Trump has made a habit of taking credit for other people’s accomplishments, most notably President Obama’s, and blaming others when things go wrong. Most recently, the announced closing of General Motors plants after Trump promised supporters that his tariffs would keep jobs in the United States and bring many companies back had him ranting against his own appointed Fed chairman Jerome Powell, although it’s Trump who imposed the tariffs.
With a nod to still existing steel and aluminum tariffs, @JustiNTrudeau says at #USMCA signing ceremony: "There's much more work to do in lowering trade barriers and fostering growth that benefits everyone."
— David Akin ?? (@davidakin) November 30, 2018
On Friday, Trump signed the USMCA (United States/Mexico/Canada Agreement) alongside Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Trudeau made sure to note that Trump has lost GM and that tariffs on Canada are the reason why.
Newsweek reports:
‘At Friday’s ceremony to sign a new version of NAFTA, the free trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, Trudeau urged Trump to reassess levies imposed on Canadian imports in June.
‘”Donald, it’s all the more reason why we need to keep working to remove the tariffs on steel and aluminum between our countries,” Trudeau said Friday, The Hill reported. According to a tweet from Toronto Star journalist Daniel Dale, the prime minister was referring to the GM cuts, which Trudeau called a “heavy blow.”’
PM Justin Trudeau tells "Donald" that Canada and the U.S. should keep working to remove steel and aluminum tariffs. Read more here: https://t.co/L4z1snVYYb pic.twitter.com/dVuVDpXWGe
— CTV News (@CTVNews) November 30, 2018
GM’s closures are coming to pivotal swing states ahead of the 2020 elections. The CEO of GM downplayed the role of Trump’s tariffs in the decision, but the tariffs have cost the company more than a billion dollars.
‘On Monday, the multinational company said it would shed up to 14,800 jobs and end production at a number of plants in the U.S. and Canada. Later that day, Trump blamed GM’s cars for the cuts. “Maybe you got to make a better car,” he told The Wall Street Journal in describing what he’d said to GM CEO Mary Barra. “That has nothing to do with tariffs, you know,” he added.
‘Trump also said he had warned GM to open a new plant in Ohio—a state set to bear much of the cuts. GM had “better damn well open a new plant [in Ohio] very quickly,” Trump said he told Barra.’
Justin Trudeau blasts Trump's trade tariffs to his face after GM announces huge layoffs https://t.co/RsI5Rul7M4 pic.twitter.com/wMX0n7iMkH
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) November 30, 2018
Trudeau is not the only one to offer criticism for Trump’s trade policies. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) slammed Trump for the new trade deal he signed on Friday.
‘“NAFTA 2.0 has better labor standards on paper but it doesn’t give American workers enough tools to enforce those standards,” Senator Elizabeth Warren said Thursday, The Hill reported. “Without swift and certain enforcement of these new labor standards, big corporations will continue outsourcing jobs to Mexico so they can pay workers less.”‘
See the full signing ceremony below. Trudeau’s speech begins at 6:32.
Featured image screenshot via YouTube
