Briefing Note Revealed Trudeau Was Alerted to Trump’s Trade Plans Prior to Phone Call

When then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had his first phone call with a newly re-elected Donald Trump, he was aware that the U.S. president was likely interested in reopening the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, just weeks before he first threatened economy-wide tariffs.

A briefing note prepared before the phone conversation between Trudeau and Trump on November 6 of last year indicated that the president might not wait for a formal 2026 review of the trade pact, also known as CUSMA. The note suggested that Canada preferred to keep the review as focused as possible.

The note also mentioned that Canadian officials were preparing for various scenarios, anticipating that a party might seek to revisit some CUSMA outcomes or even the entire agreement.

The partially redacted briefing note, obtained through the Access to Information Act, provided insights into the information given to Trudeau before his call with the incoming president.

The note presented talking points for Trudeau, advising him to congratulate Trump on his election win and commend the leader for his campaign. It also recommended that Trudeau express eagerness to collaborate on trade, economic issues, protecting pipelines, and strengthening supply chains to reduce dependence on unfriendly states.

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The briefing note also emphasized that “economic security will be a front-burner issue for a Republican Administration,” stating that it transcends economic policy and includes national security concerns.

Following the phone call in November, the Prime Minister’s Office reported that Trudeau and Trump discussed the enduring partnership between Canada and the United States, shared interests in secure supply chains, and addressing unfair trading practices globally.

However, Canada continued to be on Trump’s radar. The president initially threatened significant tariffs on Canada on November 25, citing the flow of fentanyl across the border as a reason.

Data from the U.S. government indicates that the volume of fentanyl crossing the northern border is minimal, with the Annual Threat Assessment report not specifically mentioning Canada in its illicit drugs and fentanyl section.

Despite additional conversations between Trump and Trudeau and efforts to prevent tariffs, Canada was eventually hit with across-the-board tariffs and specific levies on energy imports. The president also imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada.

During a Senate intelligence committee hearing, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard mentioned that Mexico posed a greater fentanyl threat, and she did not provide statistics regarding Canada.

Trump’s repeated emphasis on trade deficits and threats of economic coercion to make Canada part of the U.S. have raised concerns. Experts believe that these tariffs are meant to disrupt the Canadian economy to facilitate annexation.

Analyzers suggest that these tariffs against Canada and Mexico are a strategy to unsettle both countries ahead of the mandatory review of the trilateral trade deal. Trump’s fluctuating tariff threats echo the uncertainties during the initial CUSMA negotiations.

Although Trump proposed a tariff on the Canadian auto sector in 2018, it was never implemented. However, he did impose tariffs on steel and aluminum using national security justifications. Nearly a year later, exemptions were negotiated, and a new trade agreement replaced NAFTA.