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United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent insisted his country is "not at war" with Canada, then proceeded to mock the threat Canada could pose to his country with "submarines from the Edmonton mall."

The secretary also suggested Prime Minister Mark Carney was to blame for the current "political shouting match" between the two countries because keeping the fight alive is good for his poll numbers.

Bessent made the remarks Monday in an interview with the U.S. cable news network CNBC, where he was asked if his country is now in a trade war with Canada.

"Well, I don't think you can be in a tit for tat with someone that's 13 times larger than you are," he said.

"I mean we're not at war with Canada. How are we going to be at war with Canada? What, are they going to take their two submarines from the Edmonton mall and sic them on us?"

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[-] DeathsEmbrace@lemmy.world 64 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Yeah because it would be the most embarrassing defeat in history. For the USA

[-] Reannlegge@lemmy.ca 16 points 1 month ago

When we beat them again!

[-] tquid@sh.itjust.works 15 points 1 month ago

Time to consult the Geneva Checklist

[-] Sunshine@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 month ago

Canada is more of threat to maga than they think

[-] Malica@lemmy.zip 6 points 1 month ago
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[-] Rocketpoweredgorilla@lemmy.ca 56 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Your white house burned down long before modern submarines existed dude.. sit down.

[-] Reannlegge@lemmy.ca 36 points 1 month ago

Trump has already started the tear down for us, it would not be as glorious this time but seeing a bunch of piss drunk Canadians do it again would be fun.

[-] CapuccinoCoretto@lemmy.world 38 points 1 month ago

The Canadian military did an analysis of how to fight a war with America. The study's conclusion was the most devastating and effective strategy is to sit back and watch them destroy themselves.

Best we can do for ourselves is to unplug from their systems.

[-] Warl0k3@lemmy.world 22 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

If we're thinking of the same study, that was because the US attempting to invade canada would be such a drastically unpopular move that it would kick off a US civil war in response. Also Canada wasn't planning to sit back, but to not engage directly / do a guerilla for the actual invasion while supporting the pro-canada/sanity side with intelligence and materiel.

It was never "watch them destroy themselves", the last damn thing Canada wants is a gutted former superpower with an uncertain political outlook next door.

[-] Rocketpoweredgorilla@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Makes sense. You don't directly attack something 10 times your size, there's plenty of other ways to fuck it up good and proper. Even neanderthals figured that out.

[-] BillyTheKid2@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 month ago

The plan is to fuel the separatists in Alberta, then after a massive campaign to legitimize them annex part of Alberta under the guise of a referendum. After all, if they vote to join, it's democratic.

Read up on how they captured Hawaii. It doesn't have to be a shooting war and it doesn't have to be all of Canada.

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[-] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 month ago

It was assymetrixal warfare because any Canadian under US rule would join terrorist groups.

Not the US destroying themselves.

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[-] Rocketpoweredgorilla@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 month ago

I'd gladly be there with a bottle of whiskey in one hand, my Tiger Torch in the other.

[-] Lemmyoutofhere@lemmy.ca 38 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Just like the russia attacking Ukraine is not a war.

[-] CobraChicken3000@lemmy.ca 22 points 1 month ago

Special military operation - very special

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[-] Snowclone@lemmy.world 37 points 1 month ago

Insulting your closest geographical and cultural ally is a very strong move for very strong and serious men to do. it's so strong. This is how you know they have strong policy. they kid around and made dumb jokes about a country we have fought modern wars side by side with.

[-] CapuccinoCoretto@lemmy.world 24 points 1 month ago

If only it were insults. Threats and economic coercion.

[-] k0e3@lemmy.ca 9 points 1 month ago

We throw insults at each other all the time and it's fun. But then they suddenly escalated shit to threats of invasion and an economic war.

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[-] puppinstuff@lemmy.ca 35 points 1 month ago

From the administration who just launched a few hundred million dollars worth of tomahawks at Iran without saying they were at war with them either.

I really wish journalists with integrity were allowed to question these dorks. They would be eviscerated every follow up question.

[-] rbos@lemmy.ca 33 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

"I don’t think you can be in a tit for tat with someone that’s 13 times larger than you are"

Agreed. Which is why we need asymmetric measures that make the USA hurt a lot more than us. Specifically, make their billionaires squeal like piggies. Tax US cloud services, streaming services, and app services. Cap the profits that their app stores can charge. Clamp down on what advertising is acceptable. Force them to open APIs.

Right to repair legislation. Force them to open app store competition.

Level the playing field for Canadian software companies and developers.

We can't compete with them dollar for dollar. So compete with them penny for dollar.

While they're at it, rename the Bald Eagle the Canada Eagle. We have more of them anyway.

[-] Reannlegge@lemmy.ca 26 points 1 month ago

We should just cut off all the electricity we send down there, all the gas we send down there (I know Smith will have a hissy fit but oh well), we should stop sending all the lumber down there, we should stop sending all the metal down there, we should stop sending all the uranium down there, and just to top it off we should stop sending all the potash down there and see how long until they starve.

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[-] djsoren19@lemmy.blahaj.zone 22 points 1 month ago

Wild to say you're not afraid of an invasion from the only country that's ever successfully invaded the US. What can Canada do? Burn down the White House again.

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[-] JustADrone@lemmy.ca 22 points 1 month ago

they weren't at war with Venezuela either, but they did invade them, deposed their leader, and now control their oilfields…

[-] Taldan@lemmy.world 19 points 1 month ago

The secretary also suggested Prime Minister Mark Carney was to blame for the current “political shouting match”

Trump has started a shouting match with a dozen different countries. At some point it becomes obvious the US is the problem in international relations

[-] CapuccinoCoretto@lemmy.world 7 points 1 month ago

It was obvious before his first term.

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[-] phoenixz@lemmy.ca 18 points 1 month ago

"Well, I don't think you can be in a tit for tat with someone that's 13 times larger than you are," he said.

Russia would like a word....

Also, Fuck you, asshoke.

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[-] frustrated_phagocytosis@fedia.io 16 points 1 month ago

Ah, we're 1000% at war with Canada then.

[-] CapuccinoCoretto@lemmy.world 12 points 1 month ago

Who are you not at war with? (Including yourselves)

[-] floofloof@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 month ago

Not fighting everyone in the world is weakness! Fascists hate weakness!

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[-] Canconda@lemmy.ca 16 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

They're just pissed because they're losing JTF2.

Seriously Canadas special forces are literally the most elite in the world.

When they need it done with zero mistakes, they send JTF2.

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[-] wirebeads@lemmy.ca 15 points 1 month ago

One is a cockroach, the other is make believe.

[-] ikidd@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 1 month ago

The best thing everyone in Canada can do is just ignore these fuckwits and carry on working with the rest of the world. There's nothing to be gained by engaging. Even if they did agree to something, it woudn't be worth the paper it's printed on. So walk away and ignore them.

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[-] bluejade@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 month ago

I don't want us to be at war with the US, but I don't want us to be subjugated by them either. it's bad enough the Americans are subjugated by themselves

their militant psychopath leaders and their sycophants can choke on a bag of dicks though if they wouldn't enjoy it so much

[-] Sunshine@lemmy.ca 12 points 1 month ago

More gaslighting

[-] mHtt@lemmy.ca 12 points 1 month ago

Bessent causes more American suffering than any Canadian ever could.

[-] JTode@lemmy.world 11 points 1 month ago

Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining

[-] bedwyr@piefed.ca 11 points 1 month ago

For decades the canadians have lorded over us, their geese show no respect for our customs and immigration laws, flouting them with impunity. I hear they are illegal voting for the democrat party.

Then all of this smoke sent down here?

Fuck that! Build the wall! Build the wall! Build the wall!

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[-] NaibofTabr@infosec.pub 10 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

We must unite against the Canuck threat, lest we be subjected to their beer.

[-] RodgeGrabTheCat@sh.itjust.works 10 points 1 month ago

Bessent has such a punch-able face.

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[-] o0evillusion0o@sh.itjust.works 9 points 1 month ago

I swear we will burn your fucking house down. Again. Bitch.

[-] o0evillusion0o@sh.itjust.works 8 points 1 month ago

We'll just wave some steaks in front of your troops 😉

[-] notsure@fedia.io 8 points 1 month ago

This asshole is a Republican and gay. That is it. He is Gay. He chooses to be a Republican.

[-] Washedupcynic@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 month ago

"My farts smell like sunshine and rainbows," insists U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

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[-] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 month ago

Come on Bessent, you still need to tell Secretary Kegsbreath to deploy the USS Lincoln against bond prices, before you talk about war with us.

[-] stretch2m@infosec.pub 7 points 1 month ago

Every word out of that man's mouth is a lie.

[-] altphoto@lemmy.today 7 points 1 month ago

It's just an excursion.

[-] nosuchanon@lemmy.world 6 points 1 month ago

Special Economic Operation

[-] Greg@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 month ago

That's not very reassuring given the US has been "not at war" with Iran for 6 months now

[-] k0e3@lemmy.ca 5 points 1 month ago

Alright, where is that to-do list. I swear, I filed it under G for Geneva when I immigrated...

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this post was submitted on 31 Aug 2026
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