Mark Carney’s visit to the Oval Office aims to restore relations amid ongoing trade tensions as no trade deal has been finalized given Canada is a key US ally.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and US President Donald Trump exchanged a breezy conversation when the two met at the White House on Tuesday.
When Trump was seen wearing a blue tie instead of the red one which he usually wears, Carney jokingly said, “I wore red for you!” as he pointed to his tie as the US President greeted him outside the West Wing.
Videos of the interaction between the two leaders were quick to go viral on social media.
Although Carney’s recent visit to the Oval Office marks his second time since April, unlike other US allies such as Britain and the European Union, Canada has still not sealed a deal with Washington to take the edge off Trump’s trade wars.
Terming the tour as a “working visit”, the Canadian government said that the 60-year-old politician who entered the field less than a year ago, seeks to restore bilateral relations and discuss “shared priorities in a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the US,” , reported news agency AFP.
US President Trump also recently repeated his desire to make Canada “the 51st state”, an issue that caused tensions before Carney’s April trip.
A day earlier, Trump said when asked about Carney’s visit that “I guess he’s going to ask about tariffs, because a lot of companies from Canada are moving into the United States.”
US tariffs on Canada
Trump on Monday imposed tariffs on lumber, aluminum, steel and automobiles. He announced 25 percent tariffs on heavy trucks starting November 1.
While the vast majority of trade remains protected by the USMCA, a free-trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, the agreement faces renegotiation soon, and Trump called for a revision that would favor US industries.
The United States is Canada’s main economic partner, with 75 percent of Canada’s exports being sold across its southern border. Canada saw its GDP decline by 1.5 percent in the second quarter, adding to the economic pressure.
Pressure on Carney
As Carney faces widespread domestic criticism for making concessions while getting little in return, he is under major pressure to seal a deal.
“Mark Carney has no choice, he must return from Washington with progress,” AFP reported quoting a political scientist at McGill University in Montreal, pointing to the steel and aluminium tariffs as key areas.
At the end of June, Carney canceled a tax targeting American tech giants under pressure from Trump, who called it outrageous. He also lifted many of the tariffs imposed by the previous government.
In Canada, opposition leader Pierre Poilievre wrote an open letter to Carney on Monday before he landed in US. “If you return with excuses, broken promises and photo ops, you will have failed our workers, our businesses and our country,” Poilievre wrote.
51st state?
Trump about a week ago, once again brought up the possibility of annexing Canada during a speech to US generals and admirals, referencing the country’s potential participation in a new “Golden Dome” missile shield.
“Canada called me a couple of weeks ago, they want to be part of it,” Trump claimed. “To which I said, well, why don’t you just join our country” and “become the 51st state, and you get it for free.”
