Trump just won another primary state — and here’s what we have to say about it

Summary

Donald Trump won two early Republican primary states, making him very likely to become the nominee. There is speculation his legal issues could derail his campaign. Canada is concerned about more protectionist trade policies under Trump. Trudeau says Canada must prepare for difficult relations given Trump's vicious and unpredictable political style. The economic context is different now versus Trump's first term, so the impacts are unknown. Overall there is uncertainty over how things will unfold between the countries under Trump.

Takeaways

• 😀 Donald Trump won the New Hampshire Republican primary by a large margin, making him very likely to become the nominee
• 😮 Nikki Haley plans to stay in the race despite her poor New Hampshire showing
• 🗓️ The next GOP contests are in Nevada and South Carolina in February
• 😕 The author believes the primary process winds down too quickly to give other candidates a fair chance
• 🇨🇦 Canadian PM Trudeau is already preparing for continued difficult relations with the US under Trump
• 😥 The author feels the lengthy primary process is unnecessary given Trump's dominance
• 😨 There is a possibility Trump could face criminal charges amidst his campaign
• 😠 The author feels Trump's New Hampshire victory speech was unnecessarily vicious
• 😬 Biden and Trump both have protectionist trade policies concerning Canada
• 😳 The author believes the economic and political climate makes dealing with Trump very unpredictable for Canada

Q & A

Who won the New Hampshire Republican primary?

Donald Trump won the New Hampshire Republican primary with over 54% of the vote.

What record did Trump accomplish by winning Iowa and New Hampshire?

Trump accomplished something very rare by winning both the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary. The last two presidents, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, were not able to win both.

What big Republican contest is coming up next?

The next big Republican contest is in Nevada in early February, which has both a caucus and a primary.

What did Justin Trudeau say about preparing for relations with the US under Trump?

Trudeau said that Canada is already preparing for relations with the US whether Trump wins again or loses. He recognizes it will be an ongoing issue either way.

How did Trump's New Hampshire victory affect the author?

The author was affected not so much by Trump's victory itself, but by the vicious and vengeful way Trump delivered his victory speech.

What are some ways Trump could negatively impact trade with Canada?

Trump could increase US protectionism, trying to manufacture more products domestically rather than trading with countries like Canada. He could also threaten to rip up trade agreements again, as he did with NAFTA previously.

Why can't Canada rely on past experience in dealing with Trump this time?

Trump is very unpredictable, so past experience in dealing with him does not necessarily indicate how he would behave as president again. Also, the economic context is very different now, raising the stakes.

What is Justin Trudeau's plan for dealing with relations with Trump?

Trudeau plans to assign two cabinet ministers specifically to handle diplomatic relations with Trump's administration. However, the author is skeptical this will be sufficient.

What warning does the author give about assuming things will go the same as last time with Trump?

The author warns that the economic context and Trump's apparent increased vindictiveness this time around mean we cannot rely on past experience to predict how things will unfold.

Why could volatile trade relations with the US be especially problematic for Canada now?

With the current economic environment in Canada, prolonged trade volatility with its number one partner, the US, could have very negative consequences.