Robert Pape: Finally, Trump's War on Canada Explained

Donald Trump is often described as impulsive, chaotic and unpredictable. University of Chicago professor Robert Pape argues that description misses the most important thing about Trump: he has a strategy. The strategy is punishment. Trump threatens or imposes maximum pressure on opponents - domestic political enemies, allies, rivals and adversaries - because he believes the pain will force them to give him something tangible in return. Pape says the problem is that punishment fails far more often than it works, particularly in international politics. That framework helps explain the escalating U.S. trade war with Canada. Pape argues Trump’s tariffs are not really rooted in international economics. They are MAGA domestic politics projected onto the world stage: anger among blue-collar Americans who believe globalization shipped their best manufacturing jobs abroad, including to Canada. Markham Hislop and Pape discuss why Trump is targeting Canadian advanced manufacturing, why Canada should resist coercion rather than concede, why Prime Minister Mark Carney’s diversification strategy makes sense, and why the pressure on Canada is likely to continue even after Trump leaves office. Chapters 00:00 Does Trump actually have a strategy? 01:28 Trump’s theory of power: punishment 05:57 Why coercion sometimes works at home 07:39 Canada and Trump’s geopolitical strategy 08:28 Tariffs are MAGA politics, not economics 11:29 Why Trump targets Canadian manufacturing 16:02 Why Canada walked away from trade talks 20:09 Is Carney responding the right way? 22:18 Will the attacks on Canada continue? Hashtags #Trump #Canada #TradeWar #RobertPape #MarkCarney