Trump says the US doesn’t need Canada. The economy says otherwise

TORONTO (AP) – U.S. President Donald Trump notes his country does not need Canada.

Key points

• Yet Trump has imposed a 50% tariff on Canadian aluminum while acknowledging this week that the United States badly needs the metal.
• President Donald Trump notes his country does not need Canada.
• Farms and parts for an auto industry built on both sides of the border.
• "WE DON'T NEED CANADA, THEY NEED US!" Trump posted this week, repeating his long-running claim.
• We obtain it all from Canada for the most part, and we need it badly.

TORONTO (AP) – U.S. President Donald Trump notes his country does not need Canada. But every day, roughly 4 million barrels of Canadian crude oil flow south, helping fuel American cars, trucks and airplanes and supply U.S. Industry. And oil is only the beginning.

Canada additionally supplies aluminum, potash to U.S. Farms and parts for an auto industry built on both sides of the border.

"This country desperately needs aluminum, " Trump remarked. "We don't have it. We obtain it all from Canada for the most part, and we need it badly."

Notably, the contradiction underscores how deeply the two economies remain intertwined – and how much could be at stake if Trump's trade war reaches more of the energy, materials and supply chains that the U.S. Still relies on Canada to provide.

In short, trump says the US doesn't need Canada. The economy says otherwise is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.