White House trade advisor Peter Navarro has apologized for the “a special place in hell” comment he directed at Justin Trudeau following the G7 summit over the weekend.
Speaking at the Wall Street Journal CFO Network annual meeting in Washington, Navarro said he used language that was “inappropriate.”
WATCH: David Akin reports on Peter Navarro’s apology, a motive, and a commitment to get back to negotiations
READ MORE: Americans are saying #ThanksCanada in wake of Donald Trump’s attack on Justin Trudeau
“In conveying that message I used language that was inappropriate and basically lost the power of that message,” Navarro said. “I own that, that was my mistake, my words.”
Navarro lashed out on Fox News following a multi-day tirade by Trump and his administration over trade and Canada’s response to tariffs imposed by the U.S.
WATCH: Trudeau says Canadians ‘will not be pushed around’ over U.S. tariffs
Following Trump’s departure from the G7 summit, Trudeau said in a press conference that he told the U.S. president that his steel and aluminum tariffs were “kind of insulting,” that Canada “will not be pushed around” and that it would not hesitate to impose retaliatory measures.
READ MORE: Timeline of Donald Trump’s war of words (and trade) with Justin Trudeau
“There’s a special place in hell for any foreign leader that engages in bad faith diplomacy with President Donald J. Trump, and then tries to stab him in the back on the way out the door,” Navarro said Sunday. “That’s what bad faith Justin Trudeau did with that stunt press conference. That’s what weak, dishonest Justin Trudeau did, and that comes right from Air Force One.”
Trudeau declined to comment Tuesday on Navarro’s apology.
Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said Canada always expected moments of drama in the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
“From day one we’ve said that we expected moments of drama and that we would keep calm and carry on throughout those moments of drama,” Freeland told reporters. “We have said we welcome the opportunity to modernize NAFTA and we think there are real opportunities to bring a very good agreement into the 21st century.”
Also on Sunday, Trump’s economic advisor Larry Kudlow told CNN that Trudeau “stabbed us in the back.” Trump said Monday that Kudlow was admitted to hospital after suffering a heart attack.
-
![]()
#ThanksCanada: Americans pay tribute to Canada amid Trump attacks on Trudeau -
![]()
Trump adviser says Trudeau ‘betrayed’ G7 and president ahead of North Korea summit -
![]()
Trudeau gains support following Trump post-G7 tweets -
![]()
Doug Ford says he stands ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with Justin Trudeau following Trump tirade -
![]()
Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau face off over trade -
![]()
The Panel: How should Canada respond to Trump? -
![]()
Trump versus Trudeau at the G7 summit -
![]()
Justin Trudeau avoids questions about Trump’s tweets
“Our Great Larry Kudlow, who has been working so hard on trade and the economy, has just suffered a heart attack. He is now in Walter Reed Medical Center,” the president tweeted.
As the Trump administration’s war of words continued, many Americans began to point out on social media the many times Canada has helped the United States, while sharing personal stories on why they are thankful for their neighbours to the north, prompting the hashtag #ThanksCanada to trend on social media Monday morning.
Also on Monday, former Trump aide and a former Breitbart editor Sebastian Gorka criticized Trudeau, calling him “childish.”
“Very childish and unprofessional behaviour,” Gorka said. “If you want to treat your friends like friends, that’s exactly what you do. You don’t make arrangements face-to-face and then as soon as the individual’s left the building, talk behind their back.
“That’s not what true friends do and I think Peter Navarro … was spot on. The Canadians will regret this action by their prime minister,” Gorka said.
Comments