U.S. President Donald Trump and Liberal Leader Mark Carney had their first call today amid an ongoing trade war.
Trump said he had just finished speaking with "Prime Minister Mark Carney, of Canada," in a post on his social media platform Truth Social just after 8 a.m PST.
"It was an extremely productive call, we agree 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."
A post to Carney's X account, around 10:30 a.m., said the two had a "very constructive conversation about the relationship between our two countries."
"The leaders agreed to begin comprehensive negotiations about a new economic and security relationship immediately following the election. In the interim, the leaders agreed that conversations between the Minister of International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs and the President of the King's Privy Council for Canada, Dominic LeBlanc, and the United States Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, will intensify to address immediate concerns."
Carney reportedly told Trump that he would be working hard for the next month to earn the right to represent Canada in those discussions. He also told Trump that his government would implement retaliatory tariffs to protect Canadian workers and the economy.
Carney, who is currently the federal Liberal leader during the election period, said on Thursday that the U.S. president had reached out to him Wednesday night to schedule a call. That request came the same day Trump signed an executive order to impose a 25-per-cent tariff on the import of automobiles and certain automobile parts.
As of 9:30 a.m. PST, Carney has not publicly commented on the call, but on Thursday he said the old relationship Canada had with the United States is over.
"Exactly what the United States does next is unclear, but what is clear, is that we as Canadians have agency, we have power. We are masters in our own home."
He added he appreciates the opportunity to discuss how to protect workers and build each country's economies, but he said he would make it clear to Trump "that those interests are best served by co-operation and mutual respect, including of our sovereignty," Carney said.
More to come.
