The Wall Street Journal editorial board has blasted President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on U.S. allies Canada and Mexico, calling it an “economic assault” and the “dumbest trade war in history.” Trump announced that 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico would take effect Saturday, while tariffs on Chinese goods were set at 10%. He also warned that the European Union could be next. While the full impact on American consumers remains uncertain, concerns have emerged that the tariffs could drive up prices and disrupt key industries. Defending his decision, Trump insisted Friday that Americans had little to worry about, claiming the U.S. had a stronger economic foundation than its trading partners. “We don’t need the products that they have,” he said, adding, “We have all the oil you need. We have all the trees you need.” The Wall Street Journal editorial board argued that Trump’s reasoning for targeting Canada and Mexico lacked substance, particularly his claim that the two countries had “enabled illegal drugs to pour into America.” The board dismissed this justification, noting that drug trafficking is a long-standing issue that tariffs will not solve. Beyond rhetoric, the board warned of economic fallout, particularly for the U.S. auto industry and agriculture sector. Canada and Mexico have a history of retaliatory measures, strategically targeting American exports in ways that maximize political and economic impact. The editorial pointed to past examples of countermeasures from Mexico, such as its 2009 retaliation against U.S. goods—including California grapes, Oregon X-Mas trees, and North Dakota soybeans—when the Obama administration restricted Mexican trucking access. In 2018, Mexico similarly responded to Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs by imposing duties on U.S. steel, pork, cheese, and bourbon. Notably, the board highlighted that Trump’s tariffs appear to violate the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a trade deal he himself negotiated and signed during his first term. The editorial warned that disregarding treaty commitments could weaken U.S. credibility in future trade negotiations. “If a North American trade war persists, it will qualify as one of the dumbest in history,” the board concluded, suggesting Trump might claim victory and retreat if he secures minor concessions—but cautioning that prolonged tensions could severely damage U.S. economic interests. Trump took to Truth Social Sunday morning after he signed off on 25 percent tariffs on Canada, 25 percent tariffs on Mexico, and 10 percent tariffs on China, which appear likely to set off a significant trade war. Trump hit back at critics and argued the decision was necessary because of “major” trade deficits with those countries. “The ‘Tariff Lobby,’ headed by the Globalist, and always wrong, Wall Street Journal, is working hard to justify Countries like Canada, Mexico, China, and too many others to name, continue the decades long RIPOFF OF AMERICA, both with regard to TRADE, CRIME, AND POISONOUS DRUGS that are allowed to so freely flow into AMERICA,” Trump posted from his Mar-a-Lago estate. “THOSE DAYS ARE OVER!” Trump argued if companies made their products in the United States, there would be no tariffs. “This will be the Golden Age of America!” Trump continued. “Will there be some pain? Yes, maybe (and maybe not!). But we will make America great again, and it will all be worth the price that must be paid. We are a country that is now being […]