US Treasury Secretary: Canada unable to pursue 'reciprocity' with the United States - Sarmad

(KUNA) – U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Monday that Canada lacks the capacity to engage in a reciprocal trade conflict with the United States over tariffs.

Bessent added in an interview with the U.S. news network CNBC while visiting North Carolina to attend the G20 summit that “we are not at war with Canada.”

He continued, “I would say we offered them the best trade deal compared to any other country in the world. But they chose to withdraw at the last minute.”

U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who is also participating in the G20 meetings, accused Canada last week of playing political games, saying, “We negotiated, and Canada would have received the best trade deal in the world. But what happened is that Canada withdrew. We reached an agreement, shook hands, and President Trump announced it, and everyone was optimistic.” He emphasized, “Canada made its decision for political reasons; they wanted to withdraw. It is purely political.”

U.S. President Donald Trump had recently announced that a trade deal had been reached with Canada, pending final touches, but the agreement collapsed at the last minute, followed by the imposition of reciprocal tariffs by both countries.