October 8, 2025
Mr. Donald J. Trump
President, Executive Branch
United States Government
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20500
Mr. Trump:
About your trade negotiations with Canadian officials you say that “we don’t like to compete because we sort of hurt each other when we compete” (“Trade deal between Canada, U.S. will likely require more time,” October 7).
Why is your opinion of American businesses and workers so low? What makes you think that American producers that compete openly against foreign producers are fated to suffer such serious harm that they can thrive only if coddled with special privileges and protections? You obviously believe that your fellow Americans are inept and spinelessly averse to risk.
And what about American consumers? Why do you ignore the suffering they endure when businesses are shielded from competition? Or do you suppose that forcing Americans to pay higher prices for lower-quality goods paves a path to American greatness if doing so enables American producers to survive without having to work hard to satisfy their customers?
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Professor of Economics
and
Martha and Nelson Getchell Chair for the Study of Free Market Capitalism at the Mercatus Center
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
