As Trump digs in on tariff rhetoric, LeBlanc suggests quick deals in the works

WASHINGTON — A high-profile meeting between Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump Tuesday resulted in Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc vowing both sides are focused on quickly reaching deals on steel and aluminum tariffs.

Trump lavished praise on Carney publicly and promised the prime minister would walk away “very happy” from their working meetings, even as he sent aggressive signals on trade and joked about annexing Canada.

When reporters asked Trump why he thought the Canadian trade delegation would leave happy, the president refused to explain.

“Well, you’ll find out, but I think the people of Canada, they will love us again,” Trump said.

LeBlanc said the two sides are working to “quickly land deals” on steel, aluminum and energy and in private, talks at the White House were “more detailed” than previous discussions.

“The conversation between the two leaders left us very much with the sense that there’s a desire to see how we can, starting with the steel and aluminum sectors, structure something that would be in the economic and security interests of both countries,” LeBlanc said following the meetings.

LeBlanc spoke to reporters on the terrace of the Canadian Embassy, overlooking the U.S. Capitol Building, while a Canadian flag flapped in the wind behind him.

“These sectors are amongst the ones that have faced the most significant challenges from the 232 tariffs and in the conversation today, we talked about ways to quickly arrive at a deal … in these sectors of significant importance.”

The entire trip was politically sensitive for Carney, who centred his election campaign on winning the trade war with Trump — a president known to abruptly lash out at world leaders both in public and private.

Carney spoke little during the news conference and did not speak publicly at all afterward, save for a short post on X.

“President Trump and I know that there are areas where our nations can compete — and areas where we will be stronger together,” Carney posted. “We’re focused on building these new opportunities.”

Carney would not answer questioned shouted at him by reporters as he left the White House for other private meetings. His office would not confirm the details of most of those meetings, but did later confirm Carney met with Sen. Mike Crapo, the chair of the Senate finance committee.

A source with knowledge of the plan, but who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said the prime minister was also scheduled to attend a dinner hosted by Vice-President JD Vance on Tuesday night.

During question period in the House of Commons in Ottawa on Tuesday afternoon, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre attacked the government for how long the negotiations are taking, pointing out Carney promised to quickly resolve the trade war yet there is “still no victory.”

Poilievre also took issue with Carney’s comments on investment, specifically when the prime minister said in front of Trump that Canada will probably invest about $1 trillion in the U.S. over the next five years “if we get the agreement that we expect to get.”

Poilievre charged that would likely mean “closing mines and factories in Canada” to move them south of the border.

“Why is it when the prime minister goes for lunch at the White House, it is Canadian workers on the menu?”

Government House leader Steven MacKinnon called the statement “absurd,” saying Carney was in the room to advance Canadian interests.

During the public portion of events, Carney sat next to Trump in the Oval Office during a rambling news conference where Trump mused about everything from his dislike of former U.S. President Joe Biden to his hatred of windmills — but only offered hints on trade.

Carney largely ceded his ground to the ever-unpredictable Trump, who appeared to be in good spirits as he joked around.

When Carney called Trump a “transformative” president and listed his accomplishments, including extracting unprecedented commitments from NATO members on defence spending, Trump interrupted to add “the merger of Canada and the United States” to the list.

“That wasn’t where I was going,” Carney replied with a smile.

The president showed no signs of relenting on tariffs. He said the U.S. wants to make its own steel and autos and warned that Canada and the U.S. have “natural” business conflicts.

“Americans don’t want to buy cars that are made in Canada,” Trump said. “It’s a tough situation because we want to make our cars here. At the same time, we want Canada to do well making cars. So, we’re working on formulas and I think we’ll get there.”

The president said the U.S. could renew the trilateral North American free trade agreement, while suggesting in the same breath the two countries could instead work out separate deals. Trump did not indicate a preference either way.

He also heaped praise on Carney, calling him a great leader and tough negotiator. When a reporter asked why the two countries have been unable to reach a trade deal to date, Trump replied, “Because I want to be a great man, too.”

Premiers wished Carney luck ahead of the meeting, but also expressed frustrations about the persistent U.S. tariffs.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said earlier Tuesday if Carney can’t reach a deal to end the U.S. tariffs, Ottawa should start hitting back hard with retaliatory measures.

“You sure don’t sit back and get beat up by a bully every single day,” Ford told reporters in Toronto. “It’s time to hit back if he can’t get a deal.”

Ford said if Carney knows something he doesn’t about how talks are progressing, the prime minister should sit down with the premiers to explain.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith told reporters in Ottawa she thinks it’s a good idea for Carney to visit Washington “on a relationship-building expedition” since trade deals can advance simply due to a “good personal relationship between the leaders.”

But Smith said she wants to see “at a minimum” Carney try to find a “compromise around autos and steel and aluminum, and perhaps even softwood lumber.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2025.

— With files from Kyle Duggan and Nick Murray