US President Donald Trump on Friday rejected any resumption of trade negotiations with Canada, a week after abruptly halting talks over a contentious anti-tariff advertisement.
Speaking to journalists aboard Air Force One, Trump said he liked Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, but criticized Canada’s actions.
“No, discussions will not resume,” Trump said, adding that Carney had apologized for the advertisement, which the president described as false.
The dispute escalated after Trump imposed an additional 10 percent tariff on Canadian products following the advertising campaign. Despite the tension, Trump emphasized his personal rapport with Carney, noting they had a positive conversation on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea.
Earlier, at a summit in Malaysia, Carney had indicated that Canada was willing to continue trade talks with the United States.
The breakdown marks a sharp deterioration in relations between two long-standing allies. Canada, the US’s second-largest trading partner, is a key supplier of steel and aluminum. While most trade remains protected under NAFTA, targeted tariffs on steel, aluminum, and automobiles have hurt Canadian businesses, forced job losses, and strained cross-border commerce.
