Washington D.C.- Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House next week, as both nations navigate ongoing trade tensions adn the potential renegotiation of the USMCA trade agreement. The meeting comes amid a period of fluctuating rhetoric regarding the future of US-Canada relations, including past discussions of potential annexation.
The upcoming discussions are particularly notable as the current USMCA agreement is set to expire in 2026, prompting consultations between Canada, the US, and Mexico on its renewal. Simultaneously, a trade war continues to impact businesses on both sides of the border, creating domestic pressure within the united States that Canada hopes to leverage during negotiations. As previously stated by Canadian Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, “we are confident that the domestic pressure from senators, governors, business leaders, union leaders, in the United States will also create perhaps an opportunity for us to come to an agreement with the American administration.”
During Prime Minister Carney’s first visit to the US in May, President trump raised the possibility of annexing Canada during a meeting with Carney in the Oval Office, stating a union between the two countries was “meant to be.” Carney responded, ”As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale.” Trump’s reply was, “Never say never.”
However, in July, Carney indicated a shift in Trump’s position, telling CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, “He admires Canada…I think it’s fair to say, maybe for a period of time (he) coveted Canada.” While the annexation question appeared to subside following that interview, the upcoming meeting will likely address a range of economic and political issues, including sectoral tariffs and the broader future of the US-Canada relationship.
