Prime Minister Mark Carney is considering a visit to Washington next week, a federal government source confirms, just days after he dismissed questions about when he last spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump. The exchange took place during Carney’s closing press conference at the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, where the prime minister brushed aside the query, saying: “Who cares? It’s a detail. I spoke to him. I’ll speak to him again when it matters.”
Carney added that he looks forward to speaking with Trump when necessary, noting that there is currently “no burning issue” requiring urgent communication. He also said Canada remains willing to resume trade discussions whenever the United States is ready.
If confirmed, this would be Carney’s third trip to Washington since his election in April, taking place amid an ongoing trade war sparked in February when President Trump imposed broad tariffs on Canadian goods. Despite early signals that both leaders hoped to secure a new economic and security deal by midsummer, negotiations stalled and were later abruptly terminated by Trump, who blamed a Government of Ontario advertisement featuring a clip of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs.
While many Canadian exports remain exempt from Trump’s initial tariff list—introduced under the justification of border security—substantial duties continue to affect key sectors including steel, aluminum, copper, autos and lumber. After Carney’s most recent visit to Washington last month, Canadian officials expressed optimism that progress was being made, particularly on metals. They also believed an agreement on steel and aluminum could emerge around the APEC Summit in South Korea, though none materialized.
Carney reiterated during the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia last month that negotiations had been advancing until the Ontario ad created political turbulence. However, the U.S. ambassador to Canada recently cast doubt on the possibility of any agreement before the new year.
The Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) is scheduled for renegotiation in 2026, adding further urgency to the strained bilateral relationship.
Following Carney’s remarks in Johannesburg, Conservative critics accused him of downplaying the economic impact of the trade war, including job losses tied to ongoing U.S. tariffs.