WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said today Canada and the U.S. could renew the trilateral North American free trade agreement — or just do separate deals instead.
During a brief press conference before a meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney in the White House, Trump said Carney would leave Washington “happy” but would not say why.
After Trump praised Carney as a great leader and tough negotiator, he told a reporter that he hasn’t come to an agreement with Carney’s government yet “because I want to be a great man too.”
Carney largely ceded the press conference to Trump, who joked around and dug in on his aggressive approach to trade, saying the U.S. wants to make its own steel and cars instead of bringing in imports.
Carney again called Trump a “transformative” president, saying he has extracted unprecedented commitments from NATO members on defence spending.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said shortly before the meeting that if Carney can’t reach a deal to end the U.S. sectoral tariffs, Ottawa should start hitting back hard with retaliatory measures.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2025.
Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press
