Trump extols the power of tariffs, reiterates threat to impose them on Canada during NBC interview [Video]

Donald Trump is reiterating his threat to impose steep tariffs on Canadian goods if the federal government doesn’t take action on border security — and a former official from his first administration says the U.S. president-elect isn’t bluffing.

“I’m a big believer in tariffs. I think tariffs are the most beautiful word…. It’s going to make us rich,” Trump said in an interview on NBC’s Meet the Press that aired on Sunday.

The president-elect continued to extol the power of tariffs and said they’re “a powerful tool not only economically, but also for getting other things outside of economics.”

As an example, Trump referred to his threat to slap a 25 per cent tariff on products from Canada and Mexico unless they curb the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders.

Four days after the threat was issued, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau flew to Trump’s estate in Floridafor a surprise dinner. The president-elect joked about the …