On March 4, U.S. President Donald Trump's 25 per cent tariffs against Canada went into effect, launching the historically close allies into a trade war.Ìý
Trump reversed course Thursday, delaying tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico that fall under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement until April 2, from CBC News.
Amid the whiplash of Trump's decisions, some social media users claimed Starlink and Walmart lost billions during the tariff dispute due to the actions of Latin American countries or ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø boycotters. Others claimed countries ripped up all of their Starlink deals or placed 100 per cent tariffs on Teslas. Here's a look at some of the claims. Â
Most Starlink contracts still intact in Latin America and CanadaÂ
"ALL Starlink contracts have been cancelled in Latin America. $29 BILLION LOSS for Elon Musk," wrote a Threads user , receiving more than 23,000 likes and hundreds of comments.Ìý
"ALL Starlink contracts will be cancelled in Canada and Mexico with the tariffs taking effect," another Threads user on March 4, receiving more than 21,000 likes.
Users repeated similar claims on with more than 16,000 likes and , formerly Twitter, with more than 31,000 likes. Â
Rating: False/misleadingÂ
According to reports from Mexico based Spanish language news media and and English language newspaper , Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helú cancelled a planned collaboration with Starlink.
Slim, who owns the Mexican telecommunications company América Móvil, said plans to resell Starlink's satellite internet service in several South American countries is no longer moving forward, a decision reportedly made amid tensions with Elon Musk.Ìý
In its Feb. 12 earnings call, CEO Daniel Hajj Aboumrad to the tune of 22 billion pesos, about US$1.1 billion, and had no concrete plans to work with Starlink and its parent company SpaceX outside of rural areas.Ìý
It's possible the "$29 billion" Starlink loss cited on social media combines the 22 billion pesos investment from América Móvil and the US$7 billion Elon Musk supposedly lost in February according to Milenio, which got the number from the Forbes real time billionaire list.Ìý
·¡³æ±è²¹²Ô²õ¾±Ã³²Ô, Milenio and Mexico Daily Post all reported the 22 billion pesos figure as dollars, or "dólares," which may have added to the confusion by readers, but América Móvil's earnings call transcript uses "MXN22 billion," indicating the Mexican peso.Ìý
Additionally, the links Musk's US$7 billion loss to falling Tesla share prices, not the Starlink collaboration with América Móvil.Ìý
ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø could not find evidence of a tangible dollar figure related to the cancelled collaboration between Slim's company and Starlink, partly because the two parties never inked a deal.
According to , the service is still available to individuals across much of Latin America.
Mexico and ; a keyword search found no evidence of cancelled government contracts in South America.Ìý
Starlink still available in Canada
Starlink customers in Canada include the governments of and .Ìý
British Columbia's publicly owned BC Ferries and Canada is listed on Starlink's availability map.Ìý
Though Ontario Premier Doug Ford said his province would as a retaliatory measure to U.S. tariffs, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø found no evidence of all Starlink contracts leaving Canada.
Walmart did not lose $120 billion from Feb. 28 boycottÂ
A grassroots boycott campaign spread from the United States to Canada, with many shoppers opting out of making purchases on Feb. 28 or shopping at major U.S. retailers like Walmart.
The U.S. campaign started as a response to some companies .Ìý
In Canada, the boycotts were in response to U.S. tariffs, with participants .Ìý
Social media users in and the reported Walmart and Target (which does not operate in Canada) on Feb. 28 as a result of the boycotts.Ìý
Rating: False
Walmart's for fiscal year 2025 show company revenues reached $180.6 billion in the fourth quarter. Canada was a leader for net international sales, which earned the company $32.2 billion.
Target's shows net sales (which Target uses to reflect all revenues) hit $30.9 billion in the fourth quarter.Ìý
The earnings reports are the most recent financial document available for both companies and they do not include data for Feb. 28.Ìý
If the $120 billion number was accurate for either company, it would mean the one-day boycott amounted to a loss equivalent to around 66 per cent of Walmart's quarterly revenue and around 373 per cent of Target's quarterly revenue.Ìý
A report from found that while Walmart and Target's online traffic dropped on Feb. 28, any fiscal impacts from the boycotts won't be reported until at least the next quarter.Ìý
Canada did not place 100 per cent tariffs on Teslas
On March 4 several users on claimed Canada on Tesla vehicles, receiving nearly 50,000 and 3,000 likes respectively.Ìý
Rating: Misleading
Speaking with ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø in January, federal Liberal leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland floated the idea of a 100 per cent tariff on Teslas and U.S. wine, beer and spirits.Ìý
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not comment on Freeland's proposed plan; Freeland resigned from her role as finance minister in December 2024.Ìý
Teslas are not included on subject to 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs and there is no evidence the federal government is planning to impose 100 per cent reciprocal tariffs on any U.S. products.Ìý
Sources
John Paul Tasker. Trump pausing tariffs on some ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø goods until April 2. CBC News , March 6, 2025 ()
Starlink claim posted to March 3, 2025 () and again on March 4, 2025 () and on March 2, 2025 () and Feb. 27, 2025 Â ()
Ana Luisa Gutiérrez. Carlos Slim le dice “no†a Elon Musk: América Móvil corta lazos con SpaceX. ·¡³æ±è²¹²Ô²õ¾±Ã³²Ô , Feb. 28, 2025 ()
Ãxel MartÃnez. Slim echa “pa’trás†acuerdos con Starlink y Musk pierde más de 7 mil millones de dólares en medio de apuesta. Milenio , Feb. 12, 2025 ()
Carlos Slim orders to cancel his collaboration with Elon Musk’s Starlink. Mexico Daily Post , Feb. 24, 2025 ()
América Móvil Y 2024 Earnings Call , Feb. 12, 2025 ()
Starlink , accessed March 5, 2025 ()
Anatel autoriza exploração de satélites por SpaceX e Swarm. Brazilian government , Jan. 28, 2022 ()
Starlink authorization document for Mexico, Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones , dated Nov. 4, 2021 and accessed March 5, 2025 ()
Manitoba Government Providing $100,000 to Support Innovative Starlink Technology in First Nations Communities. Manitoba government , July 25, 2023 ()
Karen Bartko. Alberta latest province to bring Starlink high-speed internet to some rural areas. Global News , Nov. 16, 2023 ()
Jeff Lawrence. BC Ferries holds onto Starlink contract despite U.S. tariffs, says discussions ongoing. Chek News , March 4, 2025 ()
Lucas Powers. Ontario rips up Starlink deal, plans to tax electricity in response to Trump trade war. CBC News , March 4, 2025 ()
Adria R Walker. ‘Hit them where it hurts’: Americans boycott corporations to protest anti-DEI policies. The Guardian , Feb. 28, 2025 ()
Post about Feb. 28 blackout from Made in Canada — ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Products , Feb. 27, 2025 ()
Claim about $120 billion Walmart and Target loss from on March 3, 2025 (), March 1, 2025 () and March 3, 2025 ()
Walmart reports fourth quarter results, Walmart , Feb. 20, 2025 ()
Target Corporation Reports Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2024 Earnings, Target , March 4, 2025 ()
Pamela N. Danziger. Target Loses Web Traffic As Costco Gains On Feb. 28 Economic Blackout Day. Forbes , March 3, 2025 ()
Tesla tariff claims posted to Threads on March 4, 2025 () and ()
Kyle Duggan. Chrystia Freeland says Canada should target Elon Musk's Tesla in a tariff fight. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø website, Jan. 31, 2025 ()Ìý
List of products from the United States subject to 25 per cent tariffs effective March 4, 2025, Government of Canada , accessed March 7, 2025 ()
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