Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will meet U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Tuesday, aiming to repair strained ties caused by steep tariffs and Trump’s annexation remarks. The high-stakes visit marks Carney’s first in-person meeting with Trump since winning Canada’s April 28 federal election, where his Liberal Party campaigned on rebalancing relations with the U.S.
Carney, a former central banker turned political leader, cautioned against expecting immediate breakthroughs, calling the talks “difficult yet constructive.” At a press conference Friday, he said, “Do not expect white smoke out of that meeting,” referencing the Vatican’s signal for selecting a new pope.
Tensions have grown since Trump imposed a 25% tariff on all steel, aluminum, and certain auto imports, targeting Canadian exports. Most recently, Trump floated a 100% tariff on foreign films, which could severely impact Canada’s film industry.
Canada is the largest buyer of U.S. goods and its second-largest trading partner, with over $760 billion in bilateral trade last year. Despite running a $60 billion surplus—largely from oil exports—Carney has accused Trump’s protectionist policies of undermining decades of close U.S.-Canada ties. However, Carney refrained from direct criticism, instead calling Trump “one of the world’s best negotiators.”
Former Trudeau adviser Brian Clow emphasized that lifting tariffs is unlikely during this meeting but sees it as a critical first step toward rebuilding trust and negotiating a revised economic and security framework. The U.S., Canada, and Mexico are already bound by the USMCA trade agreement, due for review next year.
Trump, speaking to NBC, called Carney a “very nice man” but reiterated previous comments about making Canada the 51st U.S. state. Carney has dismissed the annexation talk as a betrayal of historic alliances.