Brian Robbins doesn’t think Donald Trump can do all the things he says he’s going to do

Robbins is the CEO of EXCO  Technologies, an Ontario-based auto parts manufacturer that also conducts business in Mexico. He believes Trump’s protectionist trade policies would only come around to harm the U.S. in efforts to get better deals with the likes of Mexico and China.

“To make abrupt change is going to be so disruptive,” Robbins told BNN Thursday. “You would literally, in my opinion, shut down the economy of whichever countries were involved, including the U.S.”

“The supply chain is international and it’s very finely tuned. It would be a disaster.”

But that hasn’t prevented Trump from going on the offensive with trade partners in his first two weeks in office.

Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto pulled out of a planned visit to Washington in reaction to the U.S. President’s vocal commitment to a border wall and higher import tariffs.

Still, Robbins is not sure how far it can go.

“I’d like to think a lot of it’s bluster, but it’s disturbing bluster.”

From a Canadian perspective, however, Robbins does not see potential safe havens abroad. He says Europe would just as easily be affected by whatever Trump decides to do.

“I think anything the U.S. does is going to disrupt world trade,” Robbins said. “There’s a ripple effect.”

Robbins added that there’s not a lot Canada can do to avoid being affected.

“I hate to say it but I think [we need to] keep our head down and hope we don’t become the focus of their ire,” he said. “I mean, we’ve seen the way the Mexicans have been treated thus far and it’s somewhat disturbing.”