President Donald Trump's former Secretary of State and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Mike Pompeo, has criticized Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's tariff deal with China.



<h2>A Moral Error, Says Mike Pompeo</h2>



In a post on the social media platform X on Monday, Pompeo criticized Carney, saying that the Canadian government's decision to reach a trade deal with China was &#34;a grave strategic and moral error.&#34;



Pompeo also slammed Carney's leadership. &#34;Beware any leader who would sell out his country for a mess of pottage,&#34; He said at the end of the post.



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<blockquote>Mark Carney's decision to pivot toward China is a grave strategic and moral error. Beware any leader who would sell out his country for a mess of pottage.— Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) January 19, 2026</blockquote>
</div></figure>



<h2>Criticism Of Canada</h2>



Pompeo isn't the only one criticizing the deal, which outlines that Canada would initially allow over 49,000 China-made EVs to be imported into the country at a reduced tariff rate of 6.1%, and China will also reduce levies on imports of Canadian Canola oil into the country. Canada has removed 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs, with the 49,000 quota potentially rising to 70,000 in the next 5 years.



The move was also slammed by Michael Pillsbury, who is a senior fellow for China Strategy at the Heritage Foundation. Pillsbury warned that Carney's decision to bypass Trump could backfire on Ottawa and that the Prime Minister was &#34;playing with fire.&#34;



Trump's Transport Secretary Sean Duffy also criticized the move. He shared that Canada would regret letting in Chinese EVs into the country. &#34;They will live to regret the day they let the Chinese Communist Party flood the market with their EVs,&#34; Duffy said.



China’s technologically advanced EVs have also raised concern in Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) CEO Jim Farley, who has questioned the strategy to deal with security concerns. Farley asked how the U.S. could handle “a car with ten cameras that can drive itself.”



<h2>Could Tesla Benefit?</h2>



The move, while proving to be a challenge for U.S. automakers, could be beneficial for the likes of Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), which was exporting its EVs from Shanghai into Canada before the tariffs.



However, as Canada's 100% tariffs kicked into effect, the country shifted its exports from China to Berlin. Under the new deal, Tesla could begin exporting to Canada from Shanghai again.



Check out more of Benzinga’s Future Of Mobility coverage by following this link.



Photo Courtesy: Ringo Chiu on Shutterstoc

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Mike Pompeo, former U.S. Secretary of State, criticized Canadian PM Mark Carney's tariff deal with China, labeling it a "grave strategic and moral error." The deal allows over 49,000 Chinese EVs to be imported at a reduced tariff, raising concerns among U.S. officials, including former Transport Secretary Sean Duffy. Critics warn that this move could backfire on Canada, while it may benefit Tesla by allowing exports from Shanghai. Pompeo cautioned against leaders who compromise national interests for short-term gains.

- Mike Pompeo criticized Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's trade deal with China, labeling it a "grave strategic and moral error."  
- The deal allows 49,000 China-made electric vehicles to be imported into Canada at a reduced tariff, while China lowers tariffs on Canadian canola oil.  
- Critics, including Michael Pillsbury and Sean Duffy, warn about the potential negative impact on Canada, with concerns about security and market flooding from Chinese products.

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Trump's Former State Secretary Slams Canada's Move To Allow Chinese EVs: 'A Grave Strategic…Error'