'Absurd and harmful': Sen. Patty Murray slams Trump's new 50% tariffs on Canada

Senator Patty Murray slammed President Donald Trump on Monday for his decision to impose 50% tariffs on Canadian goods. Taking to X, Murray claimed that the move was an "absurd and harmful escalation in Trump's idiotic trade war with our close friend and ally." She urged Congress to block the move and called for unity between the U.S. and Canada. Relations between the Trump administration and Canada have been strained, with the President at times referring to the country as the 51st state.

According to an ABC report, the new tariffs would take effect after 30 days and were imposed as a result of Ottawa's retaliation against Washington for imposing tariffs in 2025. One senior official from the Trump administration claimed that the new tariffs would hold Canada accountable for "substantial retaliation against the United States as the U.S. imposes trade actions to reindustrialize, reshore, and support its manufacturing."

"For example, one of the things that has happened is that all but two Canadian provinces and territories have halted the purchase, distribution, or retailing of U.S. alcoholic beverages, but they have not imposed similar restrictions on other countries," they added. The new tariffs cover a vast range of products, including dairy products, alcohol and alcohol-related products, certain food products, construction materials, clothing, furniture and technology. Goods covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) are also included.

The administration official revealed that certain products were exempt from the new tariffs, like "energy, potash products subject to tariffs under Section 232, and certain other goods such as fish or critical minerals." "So, so we are trying to be again very. very tailored to the volume of trade and the harm that that affects that that is that affects U.S. trade under these discriminatory rules," they added.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was recently questioned on Fox about the reason behind the Trump administration's decision to slap 50% tariffs on Canada. "I think it is something that we have discussed with our Canadian colleagues for a long time," he said. "They are highly discriminatory towards dairy products, U.S. alcohol and beverages have been removed from Canadian shelves...so this is really just reciprocity in terms of what they have done to our great U.S. companies."

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer was questioned on the same on CNBC, and he claimed that Washington and Ottawa have always had issues when it comes to trade. "We have always had trade issues with Canada. It has always been the most contentious part of our relationship across decades," he said. "The reality is we want outcomes that are good for American workers and American businesses, and we are going to pursue those."

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a stern message to the Trump administration after the tariffs were announced, calling it a "direct violation” of the USMCA. "This trade dispute has raised costs for families, particularly in the U.S.," he said, adding, "Canada stands ready to engage intensively to address outstanding issues with the U.S. to the mutual benefit of our citizens."