Carney Softens Tone Toward Trump Amid Critical Trade Talks

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who previously positioned himself as a vocal critic of U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies, is expected to adopt a more diplomatic stance at the upcoming G7 summit in France, which begins June 15, 2026. The shift comes as the July 1 review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) looms, a deal that has underpinned North American trade since the early 1990s. With over 70% of Canada’s exports destined for the U.S., the stakes couldn’t be higher—Trump has even suggested he may not renew the accord. Carney’s earlier rhetoric, including a January speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos where he declared the global rules-based order over and condemned coercion by great powers, made him a global political figure. But now, as the G7 summit approaches, Carney is balancing confrontation with diplomacy, seeking to engage European leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron to diversify Canada’s trade partnerships and reduce reliance on the U.S. Trump, who will attend the G7 after hosting UFC fights at the White House on June 14 for his 80th birthday, has repeatedly escalated tensions, including threatening to block the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, which was delayed on June 11 due to unresolved issues. Trump’s recent remarks, such as musing about Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state and dismissing Canada’s importance to the U.S. economy, have further strained relations. Carney’s government has set a goal to double Canada’s non-U.S. exports over the next decade, framing Trump’s trade war as a drag on investment. Meanwhile, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has highlighted Canada’s retaliatory measures in the trade war as a major sticking point. Political analysts, including Daniel Béland of McGill University, suggest Carney is moderating his tone to avoid further damaging relations with the U.S., despite his earlier calls for middle powers to stand up to hegemons. Carney arrived in Paris on June 12 and will meet Macron before the summit, followed by a trip to Ireland to discuss trade diversification. Béland notes that while Canada seeks to reduce its dependence on the U.S., the reality remains that the U.S. will continue to be Canada’s largest trading partner for the foreseeable future.