White House official threatens to redraw Canadian border
Peter Navarro is pushing negotiators to discuss reworking country’s boundaries, The Telegraph can revealA top White House official has threatened to redraw the Canadian border amid Donald Trump’s ambition to turn the country in America’s “51st state”.
, one of Donald Trump’s closest advisers, is pushing US negotiators to discuss reworking the border with their Canadian counterparts, The Telegraph can reveal.
“Navarro recommended revising the Canada-US border, which is just crazy and dangerous,” a source close to negotiations told The Telegraph.
Canada has now instructed its delegates to withdraw from negotiations with the US until Jameson Greer and Howard Lutnick, two incoming members of Mr Trump’s cabinet, are confirmed by the senate. Mr Greer and Mr Lutnick are viewed by Ontario as being less extreme.
“The Canadians have told their people to hold off negotiating with the US Government until Jameson Greer and Howard Lutnick are confirmed by the Senate and in post,” the source said.
Earlier this week, Mr Trump vowed to proceed with planned 25 per cent tariffs on Canada, which had been paused for 30 days after Mr Trudeau agreed to take action against illegal migration and drug trafficking into the US.
Canada agreed to reinforce the northern border with “new choppers, technology and personnel”.
However, Mr Trump is now seeking control of the , the $9bn pipeline that would bring 830,000 barrels per day of oil from Canada’s Western tar sands to US refiners.
First proposed in 2008, the pipeline was pulled after former president Joe Biden revoked a key permit needed for a US stretch of the project.
Mr Trudeau, who has previously promoted the oil conduit between his country and the US, said he had given up on the project.
But the president wants to revive the project, promising “easy approvals” to ensure oil would flow to the US.
“The company building the Keystone XL Pipeline that was viciously jettisoned by the incompetent Biden Administration should come back to America, and get it built - NOW!” Mr Trump said in a post on his social media network.
“If not them, perhaps another Pipeline Company,” Mr Trump added. “We want the Keystone XL Pipeline built!”
The pipeline was a major flashpoint between the US and Canada as it represented a clash between economic interests, environmental concerns and political promises.
Our friend Navarro has some funny ideas for Canada.