Trump, Carney Hold First Call Since Tariff Escalation
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U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had a “wide-ranging conversation” Aug. 21 that included trade and the war in Ukraine, according to Carney’s office.
The two leaders talked about “trade challenges, opportunities, and shared priorities in a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the U.S.,” according to the statement.
They also discussed “how to build on the President’s leadership to support long-term peace and security for Ukraine and Europe.”
Carney initiated the call, according to a government official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The two leaders agreed to speak again soon.
A Trump administration official acknowledged the call took place and said the leaders discussed trade, without disclosing further details.
It’s the first time Carney or Trump has publicly acknowledged a conversation since Trump hiked U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods at the beginning of August. That brought the baseline levy on Canadian goods to 35%, although the U.S. is still exempting many goods imported under the rules of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
RELATED:US Loses Top Spot in Canada’s Car Market to Mexico
Canada’s steel, aluminum and auto sectors have all been hit by Trump’s sectoral tariffs.
In the wake of that tariff hike, Carney has focused on deepening Canada’s trade ties with other countries. He’s expected to travel to Mexico next month to meet with President Claudia Sheinbaum.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Industry Minister Melanie Joly have spent the past week in Sweden and Finland, focusing particularly on joint defense investments and new icebreaking ships beingbuiltat a Finnish shipyard.
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