The Canadian received a lot of praise for his words delivered at the World Economic Forum. However, US President Donald Trump was not thrilled with them. He appeared in Davos the day after Carney and openly criticized his views.
“Canada exists only because of the United States,” Trump said, accusing the neighboring country of lack of gratitude. Since then, every day the US president has directed further attacks against Carney and Canada. Relations between the countries appear to be increasingly strained.
After Carney's speech in Davos, Trump announced at Truth Social that he wanted to exclude Canada from the Peace Council he established. Earlier, several world leaders signed the founding document of this initiative in Davos. What specific political significance it will have is still unknown.
Trump did not provide exact reasons for this decision. In his speech, Carney said that the US-led global system of governance is in crisis due to great power competition and the decline of rules-based order. Carney didn't mention Trump directly, but observers agree the US president felt personally offended by his speech.
Tensions over trade relations with China
In recent days, Trump has repeatedly criticized Carney over his trade talks with China. He threatened Canada with 100% tariffs. on all goods if it signs a trade agreement with that country. The background to the dispute is the recent actions of Ottawa and Beijing – they are trying to repair mutual relations and deepen trade cooperation.
What did Donald Trump say about Canada?
What tariffs will Canada and the US impose on China in 2024?
Why is Trump criticizing Carney?
How did Carney react to Trump's statements?
In 2024, both Canada and the US imposed tariffs of 100%. for Chinese electric cars and 25 percent for steel and aluminum. China responded with a 100% tariff. for Canadian rapeseed oil and 25 percent for pork and seafood. During his visit to China, Prime Minister Mark Carney departed from this line – Canada and China lowered each other's tariffs.
Trump fears that Canada may become an intermediary through which China will bypass US tariffs. He wrote on Truth Social that Beijing would ruin Canada economically and socially. “The last thing the world needs is for China to take over Canada. It won't happen and it won't even come close!” – Trump wrote.
“Canada and the United States have built a unique partnership in economics, security and cultural exchanges,” Carney said Thursday evening. — But Canada is dead thanks to the United States. We are growing because we are Canadian.
On Sunday, Trump spoke again. On Truth Social he wrote: “China is effectively and completely taking over the once great country of Canada. It's sad to see. I just hope they leave hockey alone.”
Carney, in turn, declared that his country was not interested in signing a free trade agreement with China. He noted that Canada wants to cooperate with many economic partners to increase its self-sufficiency.
