Trump says first call with newly minted Canadian prime minister was
'extremely productive'
[March 29, 2025]
By ROB GILLIES
TORONTO (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday that his first
call with new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was “extremely
productive” and Carney said Trump respected Canada’s sovereignty both in
private and public but added that the relationship has changed.
The call came as Trump has declared a trade war on Canada and has
threatened to use economic coercion to make Canada the 51st U.S. state,
a position that has infuriated Canadians. Trump avoided any mention of
that in his social media post and in public remarks later.
“We had a very good conversation. Mark called me,” Trump said. “We had a
very very good talk. He's going through an election. We'll see what
happens.”
Trump didn’t refer to the prime minister as governor as he did with
Carney’s predecessor Justin Trudeau.
The U.S. president, in his social media post, said the two sides “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.”
But Trump said more tariffs are coming. And Carney said Trump didn't say
he would pull back on tariffs on steel and aluminum, autos and other
products.
“It is clear that the United States is no longer a reliable partner. It
is probable now that by negotiating we will able to restore an element
of trust but we cannot go back," Carney said.
Carney previously said he would talk to Trump if he respected Canada’s
sovereignty.
“The president respected Canada’s sovereignty today both in his private
and public comments,” Carney said.
He described the call as positive, cordial and constructive.
“Exactly what we want,” Carney said.
Carney said he will begin comprehensive negotiations for a “new economic
and security relationship” immediately after the Canadian election on
April 28.
Carney, who replaced Trudeau as Canada’s leader and the head of the
Liberal Party, is at the start of a five-week campaign.
“What we need is a new agreement and a new partnership with the United
States because there are too many changes, to many tariffs and too many
threats coming at us,” Carney said. “There is too much uncertainty in
that relationship. We made progress but we will see.”
The former central banker was sworn in as Canada’s new prime minister on
March 14. It’s unusual for a U.S. president and Canadian prime minister
to go so long without talking after a new leader takes office.
Trump ramped up his trade war this week by announcing a 25% tariff on
automobile imports. Autos are Canada’s second largest export.
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Liberal Leader Mark Carney speaks at a campaign event at the Port of
Montreal on Friday March 28, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press
via AP)
Trump previously placed 25% tariffs on Canada’s steel and aluminum
and is threatening sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products — as
well as on all of America’s trading partners — on April 2.
Carney said the significant transformation that Trump is seeking in
repatriating manufacturing in the U.S. could lead to inflation and
slowing growth. But he said reaching a deal with America's most
important trading partner will help Americans and Canadians.
“We are going to end up with a very good relationship with Canada,”
Trump said.
Canada has previously said it would retaliate with counter tariffs,
and Carney reiterated that in his call with Trump.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance took a harder line with Canada on
Friday, noting the country is threatening retaliatory tariffs.
“As President Trump always says they just don’t have the cards,”
Vance said in Greenland. “There is no way that Canada can win a
trade war with the United States."
Vance claimed that for decades Canada has forced American farmers
and manufacturers to play by an unfair set of rules.
Trump renegotiated the free trade agreement with Canada and Mexico
in his first term. At the time Trump called it the “most modern,
up-to-date, and balanced trade agreement in the history of our
country, with the most advanced protections for workers ever
developed."
Trump and Carney agreed that Dominic LeBlanc, Canada's minister of
international trade, and United States Secretary of Commerce, Howard
Lutnick, will intensify talks to address the coming tariffs in the
interim.
The governing Liberals had appeared poised for a historic election
defeat this year until Trump declared a trade war and challenged
Canada’s sovereignty. The crisis has created a surge in patriotism
among Canadians, with many in the country feeling that Carney is the
best person to lead the country at the moment.
Trump previously acknowledged that he has upended Canadian politics.
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Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to
this report.
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