Canada’s Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned on Monday amid growing turmoil in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s administration. The sudden replacement has intensified calls for Trudeau to step down. Now, adding fuel to the fire, President-elect Donald Trump criticized Freeland, calling her “totally toxic.”

“The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau. Her behavior was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be missed!!!” Trump wrote on his social media platform.

The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau. Her behavior was totally toxic, and not at all conducive to making deals which are good for the very unhappy citizens of Canada. She will not be…

— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) December 17, 2024

Freeland’s resignation came just before she was scheduled to deliver the Fall Economic Update in the House of Commons, a report that was widely expected to reveal a massive deficit.

In her resignation letter, Freeland confirmed that Trudeau had requested she step down from her position as finance minister and instead work on a portfolio dealing with the US: “It has been the honor of my life to serve in government, working for Canada and Canadians. We have accomplished a lot together. On Friday, you told me you no longer want me to serve as your finance minister, and offered me another position in the cabinet. Upon reflection, I have concluded that the only honest and viable path is for me to resign from the cabinet,” she wrote.

Freeland acknowledged a deepening political rift between her and Trudeau, stating that they had “found ourselves at odds about the best path forward for Canada.” She added, “To be effective, a Minister must speak on behalf of the Prime Minister and with his full confidence… You made it clear that I no longer credibly enjoy that confidence and possess the authority that comes with it.”

Freeland also pointed to Canada’s economic challenges, urging a prudent fiscal approach. “Canada should keep our fiscal powder dry today so we have the reserves we may need for a coming tariff war. That means issuing costly political gimmicks, which we can ill afford, and which make Canadians doubt that we recognize the gravity of the moment.” She underscored the importance of “pushing back against America First economic nationalism by building a true Team Canada response.”

See my letter to the Prime Minister below // Veuillez trouver ma lettre au Premier ministre ci-dessous pic.twitter.com/NMMMcXUh7A

— Chrystia Freeland (@cafreeland) December 16, 2024

Freeland’s resignation coincides with escalating trade tensions between Canada and the United States. Trump and Trudeau recently met at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence, where they discussed the U.S. president-elect’s plan to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico unless stricter measures are taken on border security and fentanyl smuggling. Trump also expressed interest in reviving the Keystone XL Pipeline project to transport Canadian oil sands to U.S. refineries.

During the meeting, Trump reportedly joked that Canada should become the 51st state, with Trudeau serving as governor of the new U.S. territory.

Meanwhile, opposition leader Jagmeet Singh has joined the growing chorus demanding Trudeau’s resignation, while Conservatives are calling for an election to address what they describe as a political and economic crisis.