The narrative that U.S. President Donald Trump’s remarks on Canadian fentanyl smuggling, which he used to prove imposing penalties, is not related to the latest discoveries of his own administration.
During a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing Tuesday, NIA Director Tulsi Gabbard confirmed that Canada did not even mention Canada in countries that pose a major drug threat in its annual threat assessment.
Democratic Senator Martin Heinrich, from New Mexico, raised the question, seemed surprised, while pointing out that Trump’s harsh reality doesn’t match the facts presented by his top intelligence officials.
“The president has said that fentanyl has emerged from Canada is huge, and actually saying it is an unusual and extraordinary threat, which is the language used to justify the tariffs on Canada. I just want to settle those two issues.”
Gabbard replied: “At the moment, I don’t have any number related to Canada, and I want to contact you with the details of this answer.”
Heinrich retorted: “Not 1% of fentanyl we can stop. But if you have a different message, I would very much welcome this.”
In fiscal 2024, U.S. Customs and Border Protection data showed fentanyl on the northern border was less than 45 pounds of fentanyl, while the southern border was more than 21,000 pounds.
Despite the facts, Canada is still responding in Trump’s narrative by investing more than $1 billion in new security measures aimed at combating drug trafficking at the Canadian U.S. border.
Canada named the new “Fentanyl Tsar”, listed the Mexican cartel as a terrorist organization, and launched a joint Canadian-U.S. strike force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering. More helicopters and drones were launched and responsible for guarding the border.
However, one expert warned that Canada’s relationship with the United States is still vulnerable, especially when the facts directly contradict the president’s claims.
“Whenever Canada plays with Trump’s claims, we are strengthening the reality of these words to make it real and showing our willingness to work on things that are brought up by the president,” said Stewart Perst, a lecturer in political science at Columbia University in the UK.
“What Donald Trump said creates a reality, given the power his words have in his supporters. So, I think it’s a moment where we can remind ourselves that if we try again, but we can’t do everything we can from it, but we do go in that direction.”
As trade negotiations continue and the federal election is imminent, PERT believes Canada may face a difficult diplomatic path.
“But I do think that will highlight the point that Canadian politicians and Canadian people have been making throughout the growing confrontation… Canada is not a threat to the United States.”
– Documents with the Associated Press and Canadian Press
