The Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, was scheduled to meet with the President of the United States, Donald Trump, on Tuesday in a highly anticipated encounter at the White House. This meeting has been closely watched as it could signal the future relationship between the two countries and their leaders.
Over the weekend, Trump stated that it was “highly unlikely” he would use military force to annex Canada, a key trading partner and political ally. In recent months, the president has repeatedly threatened to use economic coercion to weaken Canada to the point that it would submit to Trump’s wish to make it the 51st state.
“I think we’re not ever going to get to that point, something could happen with Greenland … I don’t see it with Canada, I just don’t see it, I have to be honest with you,” he said.
Carney based much of his campaign for the federal election on Canada’s collective outrage over the US president’s threats to the nation’s sovereignty. In his victory speech last week, Carney used one of his campaign’s frequently delivered lines, telling jubilant supporters that Trump wanted to “break us, so that America can own us”.
“That will never, ever happen,” he added, to cheers from the crowd.
During his first post-election press conference, Carney once again dismissed any suggestion that Canada was interested in becoming the 51st US state, a proposal repeatedly floated by Trump.
“It’s always important to distinguish want from reality,” Carney said on Friday.
Colin Robertson, a former Canadian diplomat who has served in various posts in the US, stated that Trump’s relatively cordial tone since the election is favorable for the Canadian delegation and reduces the likelihood of an Oval Office ambush.
Robertson speculated that Trump views Carney positively due to his background as a property developer, regarding him as a “super banker” and potentially a favorable counterpart.
While much was made of Trump’s awkward handshake with Carney’s predecessor Justin Trudeau, the two had a notably strained relationship.
The headwinds the prime minister faces in Tuesday’s White House meeting are significant both economically and politically.
“If Carney appears to make concessions to Trump to maintain the trading relationship between the two countries, the Conservative party will take advantage of this,” said Hurl. “But if no agreements can be made, Canadians will quickly feel the political and economic fallout.”
Canadia’s federal government has invested in increased border checks, and fentanyl interceptions – the supposed pretext for Trump’s tariffs – have dropped further from a low starting point.
Trade officials anticipate requests for changes to the USMCA free trade agreement, which is due for negotiation in 2026. Experts say that potash, steel, and aluminum remain key purchases for American farmers and manufacturers.
those close to the prime minister say he is preparing for this meeting like he did during his debate preparations in the federal election: by anticipating all possible iterations of the unpredictable president.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/06/trump-carney-meeting-white-house
