Trump Orders Canadian Goods Cut From Federal Procurement — SkimNews
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- Trump ordered OMB director Russell Vought and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to remove "Canadian origin items" from the federal civil procurement system "where warranted" and to brief other officials on American-made alternatives.
- The directive singles out "buy Canadian" procurement programs that provincial governments launched over the past year and a half as retaliation against Trump's tariffs.
- The Wednesday order appears broader than Trump's announcement last week barring Canadian companies from part of the General Services Administration's procurement program, which covers IT and office supplies for government workers.
- The memo's wording does not immediately bar Canadian firms from selling to the government — Vought and Greer were told only to "identify and take all steps permitted by applicable law."
- Trade talks broke down in August before Trump imposed 50% tariffs on $28-billion worth of Canadian exports, prompting Prime Minister Mark Carney to retaliate with matching tariffs on $28-billion worth of U.S. goods.
- After Canada's retaliation, Trump banned Canadian alcohol and motorcycles from the U.S. and hit additional products including cheeses and furniture with 50% tariffs.
Why it matters: The directive widens the front in a trade war that already covers $28 billion in bilateral tariffs at the 50% rate, and its vague wording — instructing officials to "take all steps permitted by applicable law" — leaves the practical scope for Canadian suppliers uncertain even as the signal to Ottawa hardens.
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