Canada’s newly elected Prime Minister Mark Carney said he will visit the White House on Tuesday for a meeting with President Trump.
“There will be zigs and zags, ups and downs. But as I said in my remarks, I will fight for the best deal for Canada and only accept the best deal for Canada and take as much time as necessary,” Carney said during a Friday press conference, his first since the election.
Carney also said a Wednesday call with Trump was “very constructive” and could bring about a potential trade deal.
“He respects, as others who are good negotiators — and he’s one of the best negotiators — they respect strength. That’s why we’re building Canada strong,” Carney said.
The meeting comes in the wake of tariffs Trump has imposed on Canada and the president’s proposal for the nation to merge with the U.S., something Carney earlier this week said isn’t “ever going to happen.”
“There’s lots of reasons to build Canada strong,” Carney said Friday. “But the point is — and I will make this point repeatedly — we have more than enough to do here at home. That point about we can give ourselves more than the Americans can take away is absolutely right.”
Carney also said he would focus on bolstering Canada’s infrastructure and economy while negotiations with the U.S. take place.
“We’re going to focus on that while we have these negotiations with the Americans,” he said.
“And if the negotiations with the Americans take longer, so be it. We’ve got more than enough to do here.”
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
