President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser Larry Kudlow accused Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of “betrayal,” after Trudeau defended Canada against Trump’s proposed tariffs and announced that he would be moving forward with retaliatory measures against the US.
“He was polarizing,” Kudlow said during a Sunday morning appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “You know, here’s the thing. He really kind of stabbed us in the back. He really actually, you know what, he did a great disservice to the whole G-7.”
When pressed on how exactly Trudeau may have betrayed the US, Kudlow revealed that the White House was interpreting Trudeau’s comments as a stunt designed to threaten Trump’s much-anticipated upcoming meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this week. “Kim must not see American weakness,” he said.
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro went a step further, suggesting to Fox News Sunday morning that there’s a “special place in hell” for the Canadian prime minister.
Peter Navarro: "There’s a special place in hell for any foreign leader that engages in bad faith diplomacy with President Donald J. Trump and then tries to stab him in the back on the way out the door…that’s what bad faith Justin Trudeau did with that stunt press conference." pic.twitter.com/KtqKXizBEc
— FoxNewsSunday (@FoxNewsSunday) June 10, 2018
The remarks on Sunday escalate a pair of shocking tweets by Trump from the day before, in which the president charged a “dishonest and weak” Trudeau with making false statements. Completely upending an already fraught G-7 summit, Trump also announced that the US would be pulling out of a joint G-7 agreement.
We are all Angela Merkel. pic.twitter.com/gvgYXdDdDy
— Denizcan James (@MrFilmkritik) June 9, 2018
Kudlow’s appearance on CNN Sunday makes clear that the White House isn’t pleased with the timing of Trudeau’s relatively staid remarks, as they came just days before Trump is set to sit down with Kim.
Based on Justin’s false statements at his news conference, and the fact that Canada is charging massive Tariffs to our U.S. farmers, workers and companies, I have instructed our U.S. Reps not to endorse the Communique as we look at Tariffs on automobiles flooding the U.S. Market!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2018
PM Justin Trudeau of Canada acted so meek and mild during our @G7 meetings only to give a news conference after I left saying that, “US Tariffs were kind of insulting” and he “will not be pushed around.” Very dishonest & weak. Our Tariffs are in response to his of 270% on dairy!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2018
