Wall Street Journal: “Officials from both countries were shuttling to Washington to plead their case, looking to thwart Trump’s threatened 25% tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico, which he said hadn’t done enough to curb fentanyl trafficking. Mexican and Canadian emissaries said they sometimes had hopes the talks were making progress and that Trump’s aides would be able to present him with enough commitments to grant reprieves to two of the largest U.S. trading partners.”
“But first thing Tuesday, Trump forged ahead, placing 25% tariffs on most goods from Mexico and Canada and making clear the fatal flaw in the negotiating process: Only Trump speaks for Trump, and the president wanted to move forward.”
“The dynamic has frustrated negotiators, who are struggling to make their case to a mercurial president through a phalanx of intermediaries who at times seem to their counterparts as unsure what Trump wants. The challenge now for Canada and Mexico is how to engage Trump more directly to help dig the continent out of a trade fight that poses risks for all three economies.”
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