Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to Visit Washington for Talks with President Trump

Ottawa, The Gulf Observer: Canada announced on Friday that Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to Washington next week for a working visit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, will focus on “shared priorities in a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the U.S.” Media reports, however, note that Carney is facing growing domestic pressure to secure tariff relief as American duties on Canadian autos, steel, aluminum, lumber, and energy continue to weigh heavily on the economy.

President Trump’s tariff measures have significantly impacted Canada, with the unemployment rate rising to 7.1% in August—the highest level since May 2016, excluding the pandemic period—according to government data.

Carney, who won April’s election on a platform that acknowledged a changing dynamic with the United States, has consistently warned Canadians of a new era in bilateral ties. “The old relationship we had with the United States, based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperation, is over,” he said in March, shortly after Washington imposed a 25% tariff on cars and parts. “It’s clear the U.S. is no longer a reliable partner.”

In response, the Canadian leader has sought to diversify partnerships, strengthening ties with the United Kingdom and France in his first visits abroad and working with Australia on new Arctic radar systems.

Carney’s upcoming meeting with Trump is expected to be a key test of his ability to navigate Canada’s most important bilateral relationship amid economic strains and shifting geopolitical realities.