Washington, March 29, 2025 – U.S. President Donald Trump described his first conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as “extremely productive” on Friday, despite ongoing tensions over trade policies and Trump’s repeated calls for Canada’s annexation.
Trump stated on his Truth Social platform that he and Carney agreed to meet after Canada’s general election on April 28. The prime minister called for the elections shortly after replacing Justin Trudeau two weeks ago.
“I just finished speaking with Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada. It was an extremely productive call, we agree on many things,” Trump said. “We will meet immediately after Canada’s upcoming election to work on politics, business, and other matters beneficial to both the U.S. and Canada.”
The remarks marked a shift in tone after a period of heightened tensions. On Thursday, Carney declared that Canada’s close economic and security ties with the U.S. were effectively over. He also vowed to retaliate against Trump’s latest 25% tariff on Canadian auto imports, set to take effect next week. The move could severely impact Canada’s auto industry, which employs around 500,000 people.
Carney further stated that Canada would not engage in trade talks with Washington until the U.S. showed “respect” and abandoned repeated annexation threats. Trump has suggested multiple times since returning to office in January that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state.
Trump also warned Canada against aligning with the European Union to counter his planned tariffs on global imports, threatening even harsher trade penalties if they did.
Unlike previous Canadian leaders who prioritized early communication with the U.S. president, Carney had not spoken to Trump until now. Their conversation signals the first step in navigating a turbulent phase in U.S.-Canada relations.
