As Britain and Canada seem to be working on trade deals with China, President Trump is cautioning both countries that ramping up trade with China is “very dangerous” business. The president’s comments come as several long-standing Western allies attempt to diversify their economic relationships and reduce reliance on the United States amid increasingly volatile political dynamics.
Speaking to reporters in Washington, Trump first focused his concern on the United Kingdom, stating that it’s simply too risky for them to pursue deeper trade ties with Beijing. He then shifted his attention to Canada, saying, “It’s even more dangerous, I think, for Canada to get into business with China.” He stated that Canada is “not doing well” economically and that looking to China for an answer is a mistake.
The New York Times reported that the president then offered the most bizarre prediction of the day. President Trump suggested that “The first thing they’re going to do is say, ‘You’re not allowed to play ice hockey anymore.’ That’s not good, Canada’s not going to like that.” It isn’t surprising that Trump would make this leap in logic, considering he recently resurrected an old conspiracy, stating that China stole his vote in the 2020 election.
Sadly, this isn’t even the craziest thing President Trump has said
These warnings follow high-profile visits by both British and Canadian leadership to Beijing. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the first British leader to visit the country since 2018, met with China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, in the Great Hall of the People. Starmer hailed the benefits of cooperation during the meeting, while Xi worked hard to present China as a stable and reliable global partner.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney also recently visited China, making it clear that U.S. allies are actively looking for new economic paths forward. Carney’s trip earlier this month resulted in a lucrative deal. Canada announced it would lower tariffs on some Chinese electric vehicles. In return, China offered to reduce tariffs on Canadian canola products. While originally praising this deal, Trump rolled back his stance and threatened 100% on Canada in response.
It’s easy to see why these allies feel the need to diversify. President Trump has been openly straining relations with traditional partners in recent months, making and retracting tariff threats, seemingly at whim. Canada, in particular, has had a rough time with the current administration; from threatening to annex the country as a state to trying to restrict the use of Canadian-built aircraft in the United States due to a separate dispute involving American-made business jets.
During a speech in Davos, Switzerland, Prime Minister Carney noted the growing instability, stating that there had been a “rupture” in Europe’s long-standing reliance on American hegemony. A statement that seems to have spurred Trump’s newest tirade.
Published: Jan 31, 2026 09:05 am