WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, released the following statement on the upcoming meeting between Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Donald Trump:
“This visit by Prime Minister Carney so soon after his election victory sends a critical message about the importance of de-escalating the tensions President Trump has needlessly stoked with one of our closest allies. The Trump-Carney meeting here in Washington provides a golden opportunity to reaffirm our shared commitment to one of the most important bilateral relationships we have in the world.
“President Trump’s chaotic trade war with Canada is already significantly raising costs for families in America and is disrupting critical supply chains for American manufacturers in key sectors like autos and defense. This trade war is remarkably pointless and more than three months into office, President Trump has failed to articulate a justifiable reason for attacking one of our closest economic partners. Americans are poorer as a result and our exporters are struggling—something I’ve heard over and over in New Hampshire from people who cherish our historical and economic ties with our northern neighbor.
“Canada is also a critical defense partner and NATO ally. Our soldiers have fought and died alongside each other over the course of two World Wars, including on the beaches of Normandy. At a moment when we should be rallying our allies to confront aggression from Russia and China, Trump continues to degrade our country with frankly bizarre calls to annex Canada. As absurd as this rhetoric is, it has very real costs to the United States as it pushes our allies and partners away and erodes the trust they once had in our country.
“My hope is that this meeting is the first of many to put our bilateral relationship on surer footing. I am ready to help rebuild this important relationship but I fear that Trump’s actions over the last 100 days have done irreparable damage, with America weaker, less well-off and more isolated in the world.”
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