SEOUL, South Korea — Prime Minister Mark Carney says he had a “very good” and “pleasant” conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump during a dinner hosted by South Korean President Lee Jae-Myung on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
The two leaders were seen shaking hands and exchanging smiles — their first in-person interaction since Trump abruptly cut off trade talks with Canada last week.
Speaking briefly to reporters after the dinner in Gyeongju, Carney described the encounter as positive, though neither side offered details on whether trade tensions were discussed.
Last week, Trump announced he was “terminating negotiations” with Ottawa and later threatened to impose an additional 10% tariff on Canadian goods in response to an anti-tariff ad campaign sponsored by Ontario that aired in the U.S.
Trump also posted on Truth Social overnight, saying, “For those that are asking, we didn’t come to South Korea to see Canada!”
Despite the sharp rhetoric, Carney’s tone suggests an effort to cool tensions and maintain dialogue amid a strained trade relationship between Ottawa and Washington.