In Episode 62, Frank is joined by Chris Krueger of TD Cowen's Washington Research Group to discuss the first 30 days of the Trump Administration, and the on-going trade war with Canada. Chris outlines his biggest surprises to date, including the sheer torque of rulemaking from the executive branch - he figures his team in Washington undershot the runway when it suggested Trump 2.0 would be "all gas, no break."

Frank provides insights into Canada's strategy for defending itself and thinks the current alignment across the country will be key to victory against the US tariffs, but he agrees with former Prime Minister Harper in suggesting that Canadians will need to be prepared to endure some hardships through this difficult period. He also explains the meaning of Interprovincial trade barriers, suggesting that they act as a 7% tariff on goods moving from province to province.  

Chris also shares his biggest surprises to date in Trump's second term, including the influence of Elon Musk. Both Chris and Frank think that the right leaning Supreme Court will give Trump leeway to continue his changes in Washington but will keep some guardrails in place.

This podcast was recorded on February 18, 2025.

Chapter Headings

03:23 Newfoundland Premier’s “Chilling” Feedback from Trump Team

10:38 Next Steps on Canada-US Tariff Debate

15:40 Will Supreme Court Support Guard Rails for Executive Branch?

24:40 Flooding the Zone to Change the Narrative in US

31:22 Elon Musk’s Influence on Whitehouse

For relevant disclosures, visit: tdsecurities.com/ca/en/legal#PodcastDisclosure. To learn more about TD Securities, visit us at tdsecurities.com or follow us on LinkedIn @tdsecurities.