Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce his resignation this week as he faces increasing opposition within his Liberal Party, according to a report by The Globe and Mail on Sunday.
The newspaper, citing three anonymous sources familiar with internal party matters, suggested that Trudeau’s resignation could be revealed as soon as Monday. The announcement would likely come ahead of a national Liberal Party caucus scheduled for Wednesday.
It remains uncertain whether Trudeau would serve in an interim capacity while the party searches for new leadership, the report noted.
Trudeau’s popularity has diminished in recent months, with his government narrowly surviving several no-confidence votes and growing calls for his resignation. Despite this, he had pledged to remain in office and lead the Liberals into the 2025 federal elections.
However, he has faced additional pressure from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has threatened a 25% tariff on Canadian goods.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned in December after clashing with Trudeau over how to handle Trump’s trade policies, marking the first open dissent within Trudeau’s cabinet. Later that month, Trudeau conducted a major cabinet reshuffle, replacing one-third of his team to address the political unrest.
In November, Trudeau visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida to prevent a trade war. Since then, Trump has publicly mocked Trudeau on social media, calling him “governor” of Canada and suggesting that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state.
Trudeau, who rose to power in 2015 with his distinctive dark curly hair and confident demeanor, won two more elections in 2019 and 2021. However, he now trails his main rival, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, by 20 points in public opinion polls.
A late entrant to politics after working as a snowboard instructor, bartender, bouncer, and teacher, Trudeau was first elected in 2008 to represent a working-class Montreal constituency.
During his first two terms as prime minister, he introduced Senate reforms, negotiated a new trade deal with the U.S., and implemented a carbon tax to reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. He also oversaw the legalization of cannabis, conducted a public inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women, and passed legislation allowing medically assisted suicide.
