TORONTO (AP) — The President of the United States, Donald Trump, said on Friday that his first call with the new Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, was “extremely productive,” while Carney stated that discussions about a new relationship will begin after the Canadian elections next month.
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The call took place in a context where Trump has declared a trade war against Canada and has threatened to use economic coercion to turn Canada into another state of the United States, a position that has angered Canadians. Trump avoided mentioning that in his social media post.
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What did Trump said about Canada?
In his post, the American leader said that both parties “agree on many things and will meet immediately after the upcoming elections in Canada to work on policy elements, business, and all other factors, which will end up being great for both the United States of America and Canada.”
Trump then called the prime minister by his first name, Mark. He did not refer to the prime minister as governor, as he did with Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau.
“We are going to end up with a very good relationship with Canada,” said Trump. “I think things are going to turn out very well between Canada and the United States.”
Carney’s office said in a statement that they will begin comprehensive negotiations for a “new economic and security relationship” immediately after the Canadian elections on April 28th.
Carney, who replaced Trudeau as leader of Canada and the Liberal Party, is at the beginning of a five-week campaign.
The former central banker was sworn in as prime minister of Canada on March 14. It is unusual for a U.S. president and a Canadian prime minister to take so long to speak after a new leader assumes office.
Trump escalated his trade war this week by announcing a 25% tariff on car imports. Cars are Canada’s second largest export.
Trump previously imposed a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum from Canada, and is threatening with general tariffs on all Canadian products, as well as on all trading partners of the United States, starting on April 2nd.
Canada has previously said it would retaliate, and Carney reiterated that in his call with Trump. “The Prime Minister informed the President that his government will implement retaliatory tariffs to protect Canadian workers and our economy, following the announcement of further US trade measures on April 2, 2025,” Carney’s office said.
The Vice President of the United States, JD Vance, took a tougher stance with Canada on Friday.
“There is no way that Canada can win a trade war with the United States,” Vance said while visiting a US military base in Greenland.
Vance claimed that, for decades, the Canadian government has forced American farmers and manufacturers to play by a set of unfair rules.
Trump renegotiated the free trade agreement with Canada and Mexico during his first term. At that time, Trump called it “the most modern, updated, and balanced trade agreement in the history of our country, with the most advanced protections for workers ever developed.”
The Prime Minister’s statement on Friday said that Trump and Carney agreed that Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s Minister of International Trade, and US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick will intensify talks to address immediate concerns in the meantime.
Carney previously said that he would speak with Trump if he respected Canada’s sovereignty.
Canada’s liberal government seemed to be headed for a historic electoral defeat this year until Trump declared a trade war and challenged Canada’s sovereignty. The crisis has sparked an increase in patriotism among Canadians, and many in the country feel that Carney is the best person to lead the country at this time.
Trump previously acknowledged that he has disrupted Canadian politics.