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'Will implement tariffs': Canadian PM tells Trump during 'productive' talk
Donald Trump, who upended the world's economy by unilaterally imposing tariffs, said the two leaders agreed on many things.
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he held a conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney amid tensions between the two countries over the ongoing tariff rift. The Canadian leader told Trump that Ottawa would be imposing retaliatory tariffs next week as promised.
Donald Trump, who upended the world's economy by unilaterally imposing tariffs, said the two leaders agreed on many things.
"I just finished speaking with Prime Minister Mark Carney, of Canada. It was an extremely productive call; we agreed on many things, and will be meeting immediately after Canada’s upcoming Election to work on elements of Politics, Business, and all other factors that will end up being great for both the United States of America and Canada. Thank you for your attention to this matter," he wrote on Truth Social.
The phone call was the first contact since Carney won the leadership of Canada's ruling Liberals on March 9. Carney has said that Trump's threat of tariffs is a betrayal of a once close economic and security relationship.
What Carney told Trump
Carney's office said in a statement that he informed Donald Trump that the Canadian government would implement retaliatory tariffs.
"The Prime Minister informed the President that his government will implement retaliatory tariffs to protect Canadian workers and our economy, following the announcement of additional U.S. trade actions on April 2, 2025," the statement read.
Carney on Thursday vowed to transform Canada's economy to be less dependent on the United States.
The talks came days before Trump's promised big-ticket tariff announcement on April 2. Canada has promised it would introduce retaliatory tariffs.
The US and Canada had been close allies until Trump assumed office for the second time. He upended the bilateral relationship with tariff threats and repeated comments about making Canada the United States' 51st state.
With inputs from AFP
