Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau’s first phone call: fruitful

On Friday, President Donald Trump of the United States stated that he had a “productive” conversation with the new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, a statement that was confirmed by the Canadian side. This marked the first official contact between the two leaders since Carney took office earlier this month.

In a post on his social platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote: “I just had a call with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, and it was a very productive conversation. We reached consensus on many issues and will meet immediately after the upcoming Canadian election to advance cooperation in politics, economics, and other matters, which will greatly benefit both the United States and Canada.”

The call took place as Canada is set to hold a general election on April 28. The relationship between the two countries has been strained amid escalating trade tensions.

Earlier this month, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on all Canadian imports, which was later temporarily exempted for goods covered under the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). This move led to Ottawa threatening retaliation and escalating the trade dispute between the two countries.

Carney took office as the 24th Prime Minister of Canada on March 14, succeeding Justin Trudeau. In his first speech after assuming office, he emphasized the need for Canada to significantly reduce its economic dependence on the United States, stating that the “long-standing bilateral relationship with the United States has come to an end.” He also noted that while some trust could possibly be restored through comprehensive negotiations, it was “impossible to go back to the past.”

Since taking office, Trump has consistently advocated for Canada to become the 51st state of the United States, a proposition that has been rejected by Canadian leaders.

Following the call between the leaders of the United States and Canada on Friday, the Canadian side issued a statement on the Prime Minister’s website confirming, “The leaders had a very constructive dialogue.”

“The leaders agreed to immediately commence comprehensive negotiations on new economic and security relations following the election. During this period, the leaders agreed that Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Privy Council, and Howard Lutnick, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, will enhance dialogue to address current issues,” the statement said.

“The Prime Minister informed the President that following the announcement of additional trade actions by the United States on April 2, 2025, the Canadian government will implement retaliatory tariffs to protect Canadian workers and our economy.”

On Thursday, Trump warned Canada and the European Union not to cause “economic harm” to the United States in response to his broad tariff policies.

According to a statement on the Canadian Prime Minister’s website, since Carney’s swearing-in, the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. has been working to arrange a call between the two leaders.