U.S.-based company 3M said Friday that it has been asked by the Trump administration not to supply N95 respirators to Canada amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the Minnesota-based company to produce and sell as many medical-grade masks as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) says it needs. He invoked the Defence Production Act in order to speed up the distribution of masks.
“The administration also requested that 3M cease exporting respirators that we currently manufacture in the United States to the Canadian and Latin American markets,” a statement from the company read.
The company said the move raised “humanitarian” concerns.
“There are, however, significant humanitarian implications of ceasing respirator supplies to health-care workers in Canada and Latin America, where we are a critical supplier of respirators,” the statement added.
Major cities see violent crime surge as national rates plummet significantly in 2025: survey
Deadly helicopter collision in New Jersey kills one, critically injures another
Is This Legal?: Leftist Group Recruits Military Officials to Turn Against Trump’s Drug Cartel Strikes
FBI surges resources to Minnesota as Patel calls $250M fraud scheme ‘tip of iceberg’
‘Worst of the worst’: The 10 most violent illegal immigrants nabbed in 2025
Brits Weighed In on Whether Die Hard Is a Christmas Movie – Do You Agree with Them?
‘We are not afraid’: Erika Kirk vows TPUSA will continue campus debates nationwide
Crockett Flies Into a Rage Over Vance’s ‘Street-Girl Persona’ Comments
Unsung heroes of 2025: First responders and everyday Americans who saved lives across US
Opinion: This Lib Who Converted to MAGA Nails the Left’s Exact Plan to End America Using Just 5 Moves
The biggest losers of 2025: Who fell flat as the year closed
Jasmine Crockett Rambles for Two Minutes When Asked to Outline Her Agenda, Attacks Trump Tax Cuts and Tariffs
How Charlie Kirk learned to turn off the phone — and why the Sabbath shaped his life and posthumous book
Police Say Mom and Boyfriend Murdered 12-Year-Old, Lied to Continue Collecting Food Stamps
Head of America’s ‘free enterprise’ college optimistic about academia despite left-wing bias: ‘there is hope’
The statement also warned that limiting supply to other countries could lead to them “retaliating” with similar measures.
“If that were to occur, the net number of respirators being made available to the United States would actually decrease. That is the opposite of what we and the administration, on behalf of the American people, both seek,” the company said.
On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to the news, saying the government is in close contact with U.S. officials on the issue.
“We are discussing very closely with the United States the importance of keeping the flow of essential goods and services across our border to help both countries,” Trudeau said. “I am confident that the close and deep relationship between Canada and the U.S. will hold strong and we will not have to see interruptions in supply chain in either directions.”
Major cities see violent crime surge as national rates plummet significantly in 2025: survey
Deadly helicopter collision in New Jersey kills one, critically injures another
Is This Legal?: Leftist Group Recruits Military Officials to Turn Against Trump’s Drug Cartel Strikes
FBI surges resources to Minnesota as Patel calls $250M fraud scheme ‘tip of iceberg’
‘Worst of the worst’: The 10 most violent illegal immigrants nabbed in 2025
Brits Weighed In on Whether Die Hard Is a Christmas Movie – Do You Agree with Them?
‘We are not afraid’: Erika Kirk vows TPUSA will continue campus debates nationwide
Crockett Flies Into a Rage Over Vance’s ‘Street-Girl Persona’ Comments
Unsung heroes of 2025: First responders and everyday Americans who saved lives across US
Opinion: This Lib Who Converted to MAGA Nails the Left’s Exact Plan to End America Using Just 5 Moves
The biggest losers of 2025: Who fell flat as the year closed
Jasmine Crockett Rambles for Two Minutes When Asked to Outline Her Agenda, Attacks Trump Tax Cuts and Tariffs
How Charlie Kirk learned to turn off the phone — and why the Sabbath shaped his life and posthumous book
Police Say Mom and Boyfriend Murdered 12-Year-Old, Lied to Continue Collecting Food Stamps
Head of America’s ‘free enterprise’ college optimistic about academia despite left-wing bias: ‘there is hope’
Trudeau said he hopes to avoid a scenario where Canada is forced to retaliate against U.S. measures.
“It would be a mistake to create blockages or reduce the amount of back and forth trade of essential goods and services, including medical goods across our border,” he added.
Demand for personal protective equipment — gloves, gowns, face shields and the all-important N95 masks — has been soaring around the world as overtaxed doctors, nurses and hospitals struggle to manage the spike in coronavirus cases while protecting themselves from infection.
On Thursday, 3M was singled out for criticism by Trump.
“We hit 3M hard today after seeing what they were doing with their Masks,” Trump tweeted. “‘P Act’ all the way. Big surprise to many in government as to what they were doing – will have a big price to pay!”
We hit 3M hard today after seeing what they were doing with their Masks. “P Act” all the way. Big surprise to many in government as to what they were doing – will have a big price to pay!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 3, 2020
3M CEO Mike Roman said earlier this week that the company is working closely with FEMA and is on track to double global production of N95 masks to two billion a year in 12 months.
