Republican Senator Criticizes President-Elect Trump in NBC Interview: “It’s not smart to humiliate Trudeau like this

A Republican senator criticized President-elect Donald Trump for how he has treated Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The senator, who spoke to NBC News anonymously, said it wasn’t a good idea for Trump to embarrass Trudeau.

The senator also reminded everyone that Canada is one of America’s closest allies and doesn’t cause problems for the U.S. He added that Trump doesn’t have massive public support since the country is very divided, calling it a “50-50 country.”

The senator also pointed out that with upcoming midterm elections, it would be difficult to lower prices with the kind of tariffs Trump is threatening.

Last weekend, Trudeau traveled to Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s private Florida estate, to have dinner with Trump, their staff, and newly elected Senator Dave McCormick from Pennsylvania. The meeting happened after Trump warned Canada, Mexico, and China that he would impose heavy tariffs on their goods if they didn’t do more to stop migrants and drugs from coming into the U.S.

Canadian Ambassador Kirsten Hillman, who was at the dinner, explained to reporters that much of the conversation was about border security. Hillman said Trudeau wanted to make it clear that Canada’s situation is very different from Mexico’s.

For example, she said almost all of the fentanyl seized in the U.S. comes from Mexico, not Canada. While there are occasional fentanyl seizures at the U.S.-Canada border, they are usually small amounts for personal use, not large-scale drug trafficking.

Hillman also talked about Canada’s plans to increase border security, including using more helicopters, drones, and hiring additional law enforcement officers. She highlighted an agreement between Canada and the U.S. that allows migrants caught crossing the border illegally into the U.S. to be sent back to Canada. She noted that Mexico does not have a similar agreement with the U.S.

The meeting also touched on trade issues. Hillman mentioned that last year, the U.S. had a $75 billion trade deficit with Canada. However, she explained that a significant portion of Canada’s exports to the U.S. are energy products, and those prices have been especially high recently.

During the dinner, which lasted three hours, Trump reportedly made a joke that Canada could become the 51st state, with Trudeau as its governor, if it couldn’t handle his policies. While some may have taken it as a lighthearted comment, it added to the tension surrounding their discussions.

An NBC News article described how Trump is already behaving as though he’s in full control, even though he’s only the President-elect.

The article also quoted the anonymous senator, who questioned Trump’s aggressive approach. The senator said, “Trump was elected to shake things up, but he doesn’t have overwhelming support. We’ve got the midterm elections coming, and with these tariffs, it’s going to be very hard to bring prices down.”

Meanwhile, Trudeau’s popularity in Canada has been slipping, and some Canadians believe his decision to rush to Mar-a-Lago to meet Trump made him look weak. With a tough re-election ahead, this meeting could hurt his image at home.