U.S. President Donald Trump sounded an optimistic tone as he met with Prime Minister Mark Carney Monday on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alta., to discuss tariffs and other trade irritants — saying he thinks the two leaders can hammer out a deal within weeks or sooner.
Speaking briefly to reporters ahead of the bilateral meeting before the wider G7 summit got underway, Trump said the “primary focus” of this meeting for him is “trade with Canada” and he’s sure the two countries “can work something out.”
While conceding he’s a “tariffs person” who likes the relative simplicity of imposing broad-based tariffs on other countries to raise revenue and try to bring jobs back to the U.S., Trump said Carney has come forward with “a different concept,” and it’s one “some people like and we’re gonna see if we can get to the bottom of it today.”
“I think Mark has a more complex idea but it’s still very good,” Trump said of some sort of trade pitch Carney has made to the Americans — a proposal that hasn’t yet been made public. “I think we’re gonna accomplish a lot.”
U.S. President Donald Trump said he and Prime Minister Mark Carney have different concepts around trade. Trump reiterated his support for tariffs, saying: ‘It’s simple, it’s easy, it’s precise.’ Trump noted that Carney has ‘a more complex idea,’ and said, ‘we’re going to look at both.’
Following his rosy remarks about Carney and Canada at a White House meeting in Washington last month, Trump said he’s “developed a very good relationship” with the prime minister and he’s hopeful the two sides can work out their issues.
In an unusual move, Trump was wearing a second pin on his suit lapel.
Below the standard American flag pin that is ubiquitous on the chests of U.S. politicians, Trump wore a second one with the U.S. stars and stripes crossed with the Canadian flag — a friendship pin. Carney, meanwhile, wore his Order of Canada pin.
Signs of progress
CBC/Radio-Canada reported last week that Canada and the U.S. appear to be making progress toward some sort of trade agreement.
Sources with direct knowledge of the situation said a working document outlining details of a potential deal has been sent back and forth between Ottawa and Washington.
Carney is pushing hard to get Trump’s punishing tariffs on Canadian goods lifted — trade action that has already led to job losses in the steel and aluminum sectors and disruption in the auto industry.
In another sign that those discussions could be headed in the right direction, Trump brought along two of his top trade officials — Secretary of State Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer — for his discussion with Carney Monday.
The presence of those two figures, who are not normally at summits like this one, suggests there could be some movement — even as Canadian officials have repeatedly urged caution about the prospect of a deal this week, given Trump is known to be unpredictable.
While friendly to Carney in his public remarks, Trump railed against former prime minister Justin Trudeau, blaming him for turning what was the G8 into the G7 by removing Russia.
But the decision to kick Russian President Vladimir Putin out wasn’t Trudeau’s — in fact it was made in 2014 before Trudeau was even prime minister. The removal came after Russia invaded Ukraine and illegally annexed part of its territory, Crimea.
Trump said it was a “very big mistake” to leave Putin out because there’s so much talk about Russia at these summits and it might have been useful to have him in the room.
But when asked if Putin should be invited now or in the future, Trump demurred.
“I’m not saying he should at this point because too much water has gone over the dam, maybe,” he said. “But Obama and the proud head of your country didn’t want him.”
