US president says he and the Canadian PM ‘agree on many things’ and will meet after Canada’s elections next month.
President Donald Trump says he has had an “extremely productive call” with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney amid a spike in tensions and an escalating trade war between the United States and its northern neighbour.
In a social media post describing the call on Friday, the US president sounded conciliatory towards Canada. Notably, Trump referred to the Canadian leader by his correct title as prime minister after months of calling Carney’s predecessor Justin Trudeau “governor”.
“I just finished speaking with Prime Minister Mark Carney, of Canada,” Trump wrote.
“It was an extremely productive call, we agree on many things, and will be meeting immediately after Canada’s upcoming Election to work on elements of Politics, Business, and all other factors, that will end up being great for both the United States of America and Canada.”
While the statement lacked specifics, it marked a change in tone from Trump’s threats and hostile rhetoric towards Canada, which included repeated calls for the US to annex the country and make it its 51st state.
Friday’s talks were the first between the two leaders since Carney succeeded Trudeau two weeks ago.
The call came less than 24 hours after Carney forcefully rebuked Trump for increasing tariffs on Canadian goods. The US president had announced 25-percent levies on foreign cars, starting on Wednesday.
Carney’s office also described the call on Friday as a “very constructive conversation”.
“The leaders agreed to begin comprehensive negotiations about a new economic and security relationship immediately following the election,” it said.
Ottawa’s statement added, however, that Carney told Trump that his government “will implement retaliatory tariffs to protect Canadian workers and our economy, following the announcement of additional US trade actions on April 2”.
A day earlier, Carney said he rejects “any attempts to weaken Canada, to wear us down, to break us, so that America can own us”.
He also suggested that US-Canada ties have undergone a dramatic transformation because of Trump.
“The old relationship we had with the United States – based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperation – is over,” the Canadian prime minister told reporters on Thursday.
Carney visited the United Kingdom and France after taking office. He has not yet gone to the US – traditionally Ottawa’s closest ally and trade partner.
On Thursday, he stressed the need for Canada to “pivot” its trade relationships away from the US.
Earlier this week, Trump warned Ottawa and the European Union against teaming up against Washington, threatening “far larger” tariffs against both.
Canada is to hold a general election on April 28. Carney’s Liberal Party has surged in the polls over the past few weeks in part because of the change in its leadership after Trudeau’s resignation as well as the standoff with the US.
