Unpopular new policy comes as midterms loom and control of Congress could be decided by several Michigan races

Every day $1bn worth of goods crosses the river dividing Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, two largely blue-collar US and Canadian cities that have come to act as one in the creation of North America’s auto industry.

News this week of Donald Trump’s escalating trade spat with Canada has everyone worried. Political and economic leaders and observers labeled the move an act of “hubris” , blamed Trump’s “ego”, and called the escalation “insanity”.

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© Photograph: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images

Unpopular new policy comes as midterms loom and control of Congress could be decided by several Michigan races

Every day $1bn worth of goods crosses the river dividing Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, two largely blue-collar US and Canadian cities that have come to act as one in the creation of North America’s auto industry.

News this week of Donald Trump’s escalating trade spat with Canada has everyone worried. Political and economic leaders and observers labeled the move an act of “hubris” , blamed Trump’s “ego”, and called the escalation “insanity”.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Jeff Kowalsky/AFP/Getty Images

The president signed an executive order directing the Interior Department to update the lake's name in the U.S. geographic naming service. Trump cannot force Canada to follow his preferred naming convention, however.

Backlash is mounting over President Trump's plan to pause tariffs on imported ground beef. The announcement has drawn sharp criticism from both ranchers and Republican politicians, who say the cheap imports will undercut struggling American producers and weaken the industry in the long term. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Walter Schweitzer of the Montana Farmers Union.

Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs against the United States as the two neighbors slide toward an all-out trade war. The tariffs will hit a range of U.S. products, from industrial goods to everyday items. At the same time, President Trump is threatening Canada with even steeper tariffs. William Brangham reports.

To discuss the trade war and deteriorating relations between the U.S. and Canada, Geoff Bennett spoke with Canadian trade representative Dominic LeBlanc, a central figure in negotiations with the United States.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins acknowledged American farmers' concerns over the escalating trade war with Canada Tuesday but insisted the United States will come out on top.

The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index dipped to 89.4 in August from 90.2 in July.

Canada struck back at the United States on Tuesday with retaliatory tariffs on about $20 billion worth of American goods, including steel, dairy products, appliances and farm equipment, as the trade war between the once-friendly neighbors escalated sharply.

The trade war between the U.S. and Canada is intensifying after negotiations broke down over the weekend. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his country had been preparing for a fundamental shift in its relationship with the U.S., which it no longer views as a reliable partner. Geoff Bennett discussed the economic fallout on both sides of the border with Peter Armstrong of the CBC.

Canada will announce retaliatory tariffs against the United States on Tuesday, an official familiar with the plans told The Associated Press, escalating a trade fight that has sharply worsened since negotiations with the Trump administration collapsed.