In an escalation of his “America First” trade policy, President Donald Trump has simultaneously threatened two unexpected allies—Canada and any nation selling oil to Cuba—with crippling new tariffs, signaling a willingness to weaponize trade for geopolitical goals far beyond China.
A 50% Bombardier Tax and a Threat to “Decertify” Canadian Skies
The first target is Canada’s aerospace crown jewel. In a social media post, Trump threatened to impose a 50% tariff on Canadian planes, specifically citing Bombardier and Gulfstream aircraft, in retaliation for Canada “wrongfully, illegally, and steadfastly” refusing to certify certain U.S.-made planes.
He escalated further by claiming he was “decertifying… all Aircraft made in Canada,” a move that would ground the country’s aviation industry. While a White House official later walked back the decertification threat, the 50% tariff warning stands, directly threatening Canada’s largest aircraft manufacturer and a key sector of its economy.
Bombardier stated it had “taken note” of the president’s post and was in contact with the Canadian government.
Cuba in the Crosshairs: A New Oil Embargo by Proxy
The second, broader target aims to strangle Cuba’s economy. In an executive order, Trump pledged new tariffs on any country that “directly or indirectly” sells oil to Cuba, accusing Havana’s government of constituting an “unusual and extraordinary threat” and hosting U.S. adversaries.
The move intensifies a maximum-pressure campaign that has already crippled the island. With the recent capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro—Cuba’s main oil patron—Trump boasted, “Cuba will be falling pretty soon.” The country is already experiencing severe fuel shortages and rolling blackouts due to U.S. seizures of Venezuelan oil tankers.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez defended his nation’s “absolute right to import fuel” free from U.S. coercion.
The Message to the World: Cross Trump, Pay a Price
The timing is a clear political message. The threat against Canada follows Prime Minister Mark Carney’s indirect criticism of Trump at Davos and his recent “strategic partnership” with China, which previously prompted Trump to threaten 100% tariffs on all Canadian goods. The Cuba order reinforces Trump’s hardline stance against leftist governments in America’s backyard.
By targeting a G7 neighbor’s flagship industry and threatening secondary sanctions against global oil traders, Trump is demonstrating that no ally is safe from his trade wars and that economic punishment is his primary tool for enforcing foreign policy demands. The world is now on notice: crossing this president can come with a devastating price tag.
