President Donald Trump said Tuesday there’s nothing Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney could say to immediately eliminate trade tariffs imposed on goods from his country.
Trump hosted Carney at the White House on Tuesday for their first in-person meeting since Carney’s election victory on April 28.
During a question-and-answer session with journalists in the Oval Office, a reporter asked Trump if Carney could say anything to persuade him to lift tariffs right away.
“No. It’s just the way it is. This was a very friendly conversation,” Trump said. “But we want to make our own cars.”
Trump has imposed general import tariffs of 25% on goods from Canada, as well as 10% duties on energy imports and potash.
Some goods, such as products that enter under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, remain duty-free.
Trump added that he was discussing “changes” with Carney over trade agreements.
“We’re going to work on some subtle changes, maybe. I don’t even know if we are going to be dealing with USMCA. Right now we’re dealing more with concepts,” Trump said. “Right now, we’re doing trade. … They’re paying a tariff on cars, steel and aluminum. I think we have a baseline of something like 10% for the tariffs. We’re getting along very well.”
Related: Trump plans to ease tariffs on US auto imports
Carney said Canada has been a top U.S. trade partner for years, especially for the automotive industry.
“We are the largest client of the United States in the totality of all the goods, so we are the largest client of the United States,” Carney said. “We have a tremendous auto sector between the two of us, and the changes that have been made have been helpful. You know, 50% of a car that comes from Canada is American. That’s not like anywhere else in the world.”
Trump’s tariffs on foreign-made auto parts began on Saturday, with automakers with factories in the U.S. receiving some exemptions and credits to what would have been blanket 25% tariffs on all imported parts.
Automakers and other manufacturers also still face 25% duties on steel and aluminum sourced abroad.
Canada was ranked No. 2 for cross-border trade with the U.S. in 2024 at $761 billion, behind No. 1 Mexico at $840 billion.
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