Overview

• Prime Minister Mark Carney met President Donald Trump in the Oval Office and at a working lunch to push for easing levies on steel, aluminum and lumber.
• Both sides set low expectations for an immediate deal, with Canadian officials describing the trip as a working session to shape future negotiations.
• Trump has imposed 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum, 25% on autos with carve‑outs, a 35% general levy, and higher duties on Canadian softwood lumber.
• Canada has rolled back some retaliatory tariffs and scrapped a digital services tax, intensifying domestic pressure on Carney as economic strains and job losses deepen.
• The meeting occurs ahead of the 2026 USMCA review as the White House signals openness to country‑by‑country talks and has announced a 25% tariff on heavy truck imports starting Nov. 1.