A Fox News opinion piece argues that fears of a full-blown US-Canada trade war are overblown, characterising recent tariff moves as a limited "skirmish" rather than an economic conflict. It contends that while the tariffs are not insignificant, they affect only a small fraction of overall bilateral trade, though the situation could escalate sharply from January if further measures take effect and no new deal is reached.

The piece notes that Section 338 tariffs of 50% took effect on 22 August on around $20 billion of Canadian goods (roughly 5% of Canada's exports to the US), with Canada's retaliatory tariffs on a similar value of US goods due from 8 September. It warns that January could bring far larger tariffs on cars, trucks and auto parts, potentially affecting over $100 billion in trade, and criticises the erosion of USMCA exemptions, noting Federal Reserve estimates that related compliance costs manufacturers $39–71 billion annually, with some firms in Canada now facing higher tariffs than competitors based in China.