On October 7, Prime Minister Carney arrived in Washington for his second visit to the United States since taking office in April, aiming to ease tensions with President Trump after months of disagreements over trade and tariffs.
“I wore a red tie for you,” Carney said, referring to the color traditionally associated with the Republican Party, as he shook hands with Trump in the West Wing of the White House.
However, Trump himself was wearing a blue tie. During Carney’s first visit to the White House in May, the Canadian leader wore a navy-blue tie, while Trump chose red.
The meeting came just a few months after the U.S. imposed a 35% tariff on Canadian imports beginning August 1. President Trump assured Carney that the Canadian delegation would “leave happy,” but declined to provide further details. Canada remains the only G7 member yet to reach a trade agreement with the United States.
Prime Minister Carney praised Trump’s achievements in foreign policy, highlighting his efforts to help resolve conflicts between India and Pakistan, Azerbaijan and Armenia, and his ongoing role as a mediator in Gaza.
However, Trump interrupted with a joke about the idea of annexing Canada into the United States, prompting Carney to laugh and respond, “No, that’s not what I meant.”
Trump remarked that neighboring countries like Canada and Mexico have a “natural conflict” with the U.S. due to competition in shared markets. Carney, on the other hand, expressed optimism that Canada would “reach the right agreement” with its largest trading partner.
Currently, about 75% of Canada’s exports go to the United States, underscoring the importance of maintaining strong economic ties between the two nations.