Interesting how two different articles (Reuters HERE) and (CBC HERE) hit on the same issue; a call between Prime Minister Justin from Canada and U.S. President Trump. According to both reports Justin from Canada reached out prior to the listing of the counter tariffs to the U.S. Steel and Aluminum duties.

BEDMINSTER, N.J./OTTAWA (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau late on Friday to discuss trade and other economic issues, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said on Saturday. During the call, Trudeau told Trump that Canada had no choice but to announce reciprocal countermeasures to the steel and aluminum tariffs, according to a separate statement issued by Canada late on Friday. The two leaders agreed to stay in close touch on a way forward, the statement added.

Separately, Trudeau also spoke with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Friday to discuss the Mexican elections on July 1. The two leaders also discussed the North American Free Trade (NAFTA) negotiations and agreed to continue working toward a mutually beneficial outcome. (read more)

Note anything missing?

There’s no mention of any response, in any way, not even inferred, from President Trump. The report is uni-directional…. Justin is doing all the talking…. Meaning POTUS Trump is going silent and deep; which is his exact historic pattern. Not good news for Justin and Chrystia from Canada.

Portends a seismic hammer-blow on the next phase…. auto-tariffs.

Here’s the CBC version:

(Via CBC) Two days before Canada’s retaliatory tariffs against U.S. steel, aluminum and some consumer goods are set to take effect, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump by phone explaining Canada had no choice but to act. According to a readout of the call provided by the Prime Minister’s Office, Trudeau began the conversation by expressing his condolences for the victims of the mass shooting at an Annapolis, Maryland, newspaper before going on to talk about trade. “As he has said in past conversations and in public,” the readout said. “The Prime Minister conveyed that Canada has had no choice but to announce reciprocal countermeasures to the steel and aluminum tariffs that the United States imposed on June 1, 2018.” Trudeau also spoke by phone with President Enrique Peña Nieto of Mexico. Trudeau updated the president on Canada’s tariffs on U.S. imports, according to the readout, which also said the two leaders discussed “the North American Free Trade negotiations and agreed to continue working toward a mutually beneficial outcome.” (read more)

Same/Same…. only worse… note the absence of something like ‘President Trump thanked the Prime Minister for’; or “the two leaders plan to”… etc. blah, blah, blah.

Nothing.

Silence.

What you do speaks so loudly I cannot hear a word you’re saying.

Paris Treaty discussions… same/same.

Silence.

TPP discussions…. same/same.

Silence.

Now NAFTA… same/same.

Silence.

The absence of words in Trump-speak-strategy is a much more predictive indicator than a policy outline or interview. If Trump is talking, you’ve got a chance for a deal. When Trump stops talking, it’s over. Trump doesn’t bluff. Further words become annoying. Wastes time. POTUS Trump lets people read into the absence of words. When Donald Trump goes silent, POTUS Trump already knows what he is going to do, the rest is just timing of it….

Silence is deadly in negotiations with Trump. You would think people would catch on to that by now; however, thankfully they never do.

The Art of the Deal: Dishonesty. The fatal flaw.

Take trust out of the deal, and no deal.

Now, take the worst case scenario you could ever fathom for Justin from Canada; and the Canadian economy….

Double it….

Double it again….

You still haven’t scratched the surface of how apex predators relish delivering consequences…. and how ‘killers’ is not just a campaign adjective; it’s also a policy verb.

Consider your business affairs accordingly.

Trump doesn’t bluff. Deal, or no deal; there’s no room to care about feelings.