Donald Trump is hours from White House return as Canada braces for tariffs – National

Donald Trump is all set to be sworn in as the 47^th president of the United States on Monday.

Global News will stream the inauguration live here once it gets underway.

While it’s not yet confirmed if he will impose tariffs on Canada on day one, his former national security adviser said in an interview with The West Block on Sunday that there is “serious danger” the two countries will fall into a trade war.

Canadian leaders are in Washington for the inauguration, while outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and members of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, using the extraordinary powers of his office in his final hours to guard against potential “revenge” by the incoming Trump administration.

Trump launched a new cryptocurrency token that is soaring in value – and potentially boosting his net worth – just before his inauguration.

Meanwhile, all eyes are on the slate of executive orders expected to come down from the Oval Office once he is sworn in on everything from tariff threats to deportation orders and a proposal to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

While the swearing-in ceremony is still hours away, Trump kicked off the day with a church ceremony.

Around 8 a.m. Eastern, Trump arrived at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Washington D.C. He was accompanied by members of his family, incoming first lady Melania Trump, vice president-elect J.D. Vance and incoming second lady Usha Vance.

The church is often referred to as “Presidents’ Church” for its proximity to the White House.

Here’s how the day is expected to go.

 After the church ceremony, Donald and Melania Trump are scheduled to have tea with outgoing President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. Customarily, the outgoing first couple host their successors for tea before heading out to the inauguration together.

The Trumps did not extend the same invitation to the Bidens in 2020, when Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46^th president.

For the first time since 1985, when Ronald Reagan began his second term in office, a presidential inauguration will be held indoors owing to bitterly cold temperatures in Washington, D.C., this week.

“I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda, as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985, also because of very cold weather,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

Guests are scheduled to start arriving at the Capitol Rotunda around 10 a.m. Eastern. While all former presidents and first ladies customarily attend the ceremony, former first lady Michelle Obama will not be attending on Monday. Donald Trump also did not attend his successor’s inauguration in 2020.

Trump and Vance will take the oath of office at the U.S. Capitol at noon Eastern on Monday.

The inauguration ceremony will be marked by prayer and performances. Trump will also deliver his inaugural address soon after being sworn in.

While the ceremony itself has been moved indoors, Capital One Arena will be set up with screens for supporters to view the ceremony live. The arena will also host an inaugural parade.

Country music star Carrie Underwood is among the artists scheduled to perform at the inauguration ceremony.

At 3 p.m., members from each branch of the U.S. military will escort the newly sworn-in president to the White House.

Trump will watch the inaugural parade with his family from outside the White House later in the afternoon.

The Trump family will attend three separate balls – the Commander in Chief Ball, the Liberty Inaugural Ball and the Starlight Ball – on Monday.

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Federal cabinet ministers are gathering in Montebello, Que., today as Donald Trump returns to the White House.

Trump has pledged to sign an executive order on inauguration day to impose 25 per cent tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico.

When he first made the threat, the president-elect said the tariffs were a response to what he called inaction by both countries on keeping migrants and illegal drugs out of the United States.

The Liberal government laid out a $1.3-billion plan to beef up the border in December that includes extra police and border guards, helicopters, drones and drug-sniffing dogs.

The federal government has prepared several plans to respond if the levies come into place today — plans that could include billions of dollars in retaliatory tariffs.

Two federal government sources who were not authorized to speak publicly about details of the plan say the government is waiting to see what happens Monday before revealing its response.

The sources say that if Trump sets the tariffs at 25 per cent, Canada’s opening salvo would be counter-tariffs worth roughly $37 billion, with a possible second wave of tariffs worth another $110 billion.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau convened a meeting Friday of a newly formed advisory council on Canada-U. S. relations that includes former premiers, labour leaders and representatives of the auto industry.

Trudeau met with the country’s 13 premiers last Wednesday to discuss possible retaliatory actions.

At the end of those meetings, he and 12 premiers released a statement pledging to present a united front to their American counterparts.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith broke with the group, refusing to sign on to the statement and posting on social media that she cannot support the “Team Canada” approach if energy exports could be part of the federal government’s response.

Trudeau has said everything must be on the table, including energy.

Trump repeatedly pledged throughout the presidential campaign to bring down the cost of gas and groceries for Americans.

Canadian officials have been travelling to Washington, D.C., in recent weeks to try to convince key Republicans that tariffs would accomplish the opposite of that.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly told reporters on Friday that many lawmakers and Trump administration officials she’s met with in Washington have been surprised to learn about the possible impacts of Trump’s tariffs.

She told CNN that Canada is “pleading for peace.”

“At the same time, if Trump is going ahead with tariffs, he’s starting a trade war and of course we will retaliate,” she said, adding that it would increase the cost of groceries, home heating and gas for Americans.

–with files from Canadian Press and Reuters