Fact Check: Is Trump’s claim that Canada does 95% of its business with the US true?
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada has escalated again this week, with tensions rising after new US tariffs and Canada’s retaliatory measures. Amid the dispute, Trump claimed on social media that Canada does 95% of its business with the United States. Is Trump’s 95% figure accurate? Let’s fact-check it.
Claim: Trump says Canada does 95% of its business with the US
According to a recent Truth Social post on August 24, Trump accused Canada of unfair trade practices and said the country relies heavily on the United States.
"Canada has been ripping off the United States of America for years. Their ridiculously high tariffs on our Farmers and farm products have made life impossible for these great American Patriots, and have long created a 60-billion-dollar deficit between our two Countries."
He also announced plans to raise tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks, auto parts and steel to 50% starting January 1, 2027.
Trump also claimed that Canada “does 95% of their business with the U.S.” He argued, "On Trade, and in other ways, also, they are among the worst Nations in the World to deal with. They feel entitled, and yet, WE DON’T NEED CANADA, THEY NEED US! They do 95% of their business with the U.S., with us, the exact opposite!"
Fact Check: No evidence to support Trump's claim
The claim is false. Canada does rely heavily on the United States for trade, but there is no clear evidence supporting Trump’s “95%” figure.
In 2025, about 72% of Canada’s merchandise exports went to the US, down from about 76% in 2024. It was the lowest share since the early 1980s.
The figure fell below 70% during the first half of 2026. Canadians have increasingly avoided some US products in response to Trump’s trade policies, while Prime Minister Mark Carney has pushed Canada to find more international trading partners and reduce its dependence on the US.
Trump’s claim that “WE DON’T NEED CANADA” also needs context. The US depends less on Canada than Canada depends on the US, but Canada remains an important trading partner for America.
In 2026, Canada was the US’s second-largest export market and second-largest source of imports, behind Mexico.
As of June 2026, Canada accounted for about 12% of US imports and received about 14% of US exports. These figures show that while Canada relies heavily on the US, the US also has a significant economic relationship with Canada.
