Carney: US Steelmaker 'Betrayed' Canadian Workers With Tariff-Linked Layoffs

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney accused a US steelmaker of betraying Canadian workers after the company announced layoffs it tied to President Donald Trump's tariffs, The Independent reported.

The dispute centers on Cleveland-Cliffs, which said it would cut 165 jobs at its Hamilton, Ontario plant. The company cited Trump's 50% tariff on imported steel as a key factor in the decision.

"This is a betrayal of Canadian workers," Carney said at a press conference in Hamilton on Friday. He argued that the layoffs show how Trump's trade actions are hurting workers on both sides of the border.

Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves defended the move, saying the company had no choice given the tariff environment. He noted that the Hamilton plant's blast furnace had been operating at a loss.

The layoffs come amid broader tension between the two countries over trade. Canada has responded to Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs with retaliatory measures of its own.

The Hamilton facility, which Cleveland-Cliffs acquired through its purchase of ArcelorMittal's US assets, produces steel for automotive and other manufacturing sectors.

Carney said Canada would work to support affected workers and continue pressing for the removal of US tariffs.

The standoff highlights the growing economic friction between the two longtime trading partners since Trump returned to office and moved to reshape US trade policy.