Carney Rebuffs Trump’s Trade, Sovereignty Threats at White House – Foreign Policy
This issue is preventing our website from loading properly. Please review the following troubleshooting tips or contact us at [email protected].
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.
Your guide to the most important world stories of the day
Essential analysis of the stories shaping geopolitics on the continent
The latest news, analysis, and data from the country each week
Weekly update on what’s driving U.S. national security policy
Evening roundup with our editors’ favorite stories of the day
One-stop digest of politics, economics, and culture
Weekly update on developments in India and its neighbors
Curated guides on geopolitics and current affairs
Report: Carney Rebuffs Trump’s Trade, Sovereignty Threats at White House
Create an FP account to save articles to read later.
Sign Up
ALREADY AN FP SUBSCRIBER? LOGIN
Downloadable PDFs are a benefit of an FP subscription.
Subscribe Now
ALREADY AN FP SUBSCRIBER? LOGIN
Gifting articles is a subscriber benefit.
Subscribe Now
ALREADY AN FP SUBSCRIBER? LOGIN
This article is an Insider exclusive.
Contact us at [email protected] to learn about upgrade options, unlocking the ability to gift this article.
Print Archive
See All
Follow FP on X
Follow FP on LinkedIn
Follow FP on Instagram
Follow FP on Facebook
Follow FP on X
Follow FP on LinkedIn
Follow FP on Instagram
Follow FP on Facebook
Foreign Policy Magazine is a division of Graham Holdings Company. All contents (c) 2025, Graham Digital Holding Company. All rights reserved. Foreign Policy, 655 15th St NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC, 20005.
Ongoing reports and analysis
After winning in last week’s election with a promise to push back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade and sovereignty threats, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had his first high-stakes meeting with Trump at the White House on Tuesday.
In front of the cameras in the Oval Office, the two men appeared friendly, with no sign of the kind of animus seen during the now-infamous dustup between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the U.S. president in that same room back in February. But although Trump congratulated Carney on his victory and insisted that “regardless of anything, we’re going to be friends with Canada,” neither side appeared willing to make immediate concessions to improve the two countries’ rapidly deteriorating bilateral relations.
After winning in last week’s election with a promise to push back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade and sovereignty threats, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had his first high-stakes meeting with Trump at the White House on Tuesday.
In front of the cameras in the Oval Office, the two men appeared friendly, with no sign of the kind of animus seen during the now-infamous dustup between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the U.S. president in that same room back in February. But although Trump congratulated Carney on his victory and insisted that “regardless of anything, we’re going to be friends with Canada,” neither side appeared willing to make immediate concessions to improve the two countries’ rapidly deteriorating bilateral relations.
At the top of the agenda was the U.S. trade war on Canada. Since taking office, Trump has imposed a slew of tariffs on Canadian goods, including steel and aluminum. When asked by a reporter if there is anything that Carney can say today to change Trump’s mind, Trump remained absolute: “No. That’s the way it is.”
Among the most inflammatory statements of Tuesday’s Oval Office meeting, though, were the two leaders’ comments on Canadian sovereignty. Trump reiterated that he still wants to make Canada the 51st U.S. state. He stressed his history as a real estate developer, referred to the U.S.-Canada border as an “artificially drawn line,” and joked about his past behavior of referring to former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “governor.”
In response, Carney doubled down on his opposition to Canadian statehood. “As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale,” Carney told Trump, adding that Ottawa is “not for sale. It won’t be for sale, ever.”
“Never say never” was Trump’s response.
This post is part of FP’s ongoing coverage of the Trump administration. Follow along here.
Alexandra Sharp is the World Brief writer at Foreign Policy. X: @AlexandraSSharp
Commenting on this and other recent articles is just one benefit of a Foreign Policy subscription.
Already a subscriber? Log In.
Subscribe Subscribe
View Comments
Join the conversation on this and other recent Foreign Policy articles when you subscribe now.
Subscribe Subscribe
Not your account? Log out
View Comments
Please follow our comment guidelines, stay on topic, and be civil, courteous, and respectful of others’ beliefs.
The default username below has been generated using the first name and last initial on your FP subscriber account. Usernames may be updated at any time and must not contain inappropriate or offensive language.
Tariffs could drive down GDP, but Canada has its own leverage against the U.S. 
|
The monarchy came to Ottawa’s defense when it faced previous U.S. threats.
|
Trump’s claims that the division is “artificial” echo bad ideas about the Middle East.
|
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.
✓ Signed Up
You’re on the list! More ways to stay updated on global news:
✓ Signed Up
✓ Signed Up
✓ Signed Up
✓ Signed Up
✓ Signed Up
As conflict heats up in the Arctic, foreign adversaries eye Alaskan territory.
No U.S. president has ever surrendered global power so quickly.
The president wants to significantly pull back on many of America’s traditional global engagements while spending more on the border and defense.
The State Department revamp goes far beyond streamlining—it will devalue human rights and strip away critical expertise.
|
|
|
|
FP’s flagship evening newsletter guiding you through the most important world stories of the day, written by Alexandra Sharp. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.
✓ Signed Up
Specialty rates for students and faculty.
Lock in your rates for longer.
Unlock powerful intelligence for your team.
Follow FP on X
Follow FP on LinkedIn
Follow FP on Instagram
Follow FP on Facebook
Follow FP on X
Follow FP on LinkedIn
Follow FP on Instagram
Follow FP on Facebook
Foreign Policy Magazine is a division of Graham Holdings Company. All contents (c) 2025, Graham Digital Holding Company. All rights reserved. Foreign Policy, 655 15th St NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC, 20005.
Leave a Reply