Asserting that the trade war was “hurting families and businesses on both sides of the border”, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Washington on Tuesday for a key meeting with US President Donald Trump. The leaders met in the Oval Office and shared lunch, marking their first face-to-face meeting since Carney took office last month.
Having won Canada’s recent election with a promise to ‘stand up’ to Trump’s policies, Carney said he expected the discussions to be ‘difficult’ but ‘constructive’ before leaving for US. He told reporters: “Canadians elected me to protect our interests, especially in these uncertain times. We are in a once-in-a-lifetime crisis and we will have honest conversations with our closest neighbour.”
President Trump, speaking to journalists on Monday, said he was unclear about the reason for the visit. “I’m not sure what he wants to see me about,” Trump said, according to the Associated Press (AP). “But I guess he wants to make a deal.”
The meeting comes as relations between the two countries remain tense. Trump has placed heavy tariffs on Canadian goods, including key exports like automobiles, oil and electricity. He also suggested Canada should become the 51st US state, a comment that caused widespread concern among Canadians and played a role in Carney’s election win.
“The trade war is hurting families and businesses on both sides of the border,” Carney said before leaving Ottawa. “We are here to defend Canadian jobs and sovereignty.”
Trump’s administration has shown little sign of backing down on tariffs, even as businesses in both countries report losses. Trump has said the tariffs are necessary to “protect American industries.”
Observers say the meeting is unlikely to lead to any quick changes, but it is important for both sides to keep communication open. “These meetings are never easy,” said Robert Bothwell, a historian at the University of Toronto, speaking to AP. “But they are necessary. Canada cannot afford to walk away.”
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Some critics in Canada had urged Carney to skip the visit. “We’ve seen what happens in these meetings,” Bothwell said. “We saw what happened with Zelenskyy. Trump may try the same approach.”
Carney has said he is ready to speak sincerely. “We won’t agree on everything. But we will always speak up for Canadians,” he said.
The AP reports that the White House sees Carney’s visit as a chance to test the new Canadian leader’s position. Trump has said that deals with Canada need to be “fair” and benefit American workers.
After the lunch, neither leader offered detailed comments, and there was no joint press conference. A brief statement from Carney’s office said the meeting covered trade, energy, migration, and cross-border infrastructure.
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“This was an important step,” the statement read. “We remain committed to a strong, respectful relationship with the United States.” The White House did not release an official statement yet.
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