Mark Carney has first phone call with Donald Trump – here’s what we know

Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke on the phone with Donald Trump Friday morning for the first time since taking over leadership of the Liberal Party.

The call comes just days before an additional 25 per cent tariff is set to hit foreign-made vehicles and auto parts on April 2, dealing another blow to Canada’s already precarious auto industry.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the call as “extremely productive,” striking an uncharacteristically balanced tone.

President Trump also used Mark Carney’s proper title – calling him “Prime Minister Mark Carney, of Canada” instead of calling him a “governor” like he often did with Trudeau.

The Prime Minister’s office confirmed the call later in the afternoon, saying both leaders agreed to begin negotiations about economic and security relations after the election.

In the meantime, conversations between Dominic LeBlanc and Howard Lutnick are expected to continue.

While questions still swirl over the Canada-U.S. trade war, Carney’s office has confirmed that he will not back down on retaliatory measures if Trump imposes auto tariffs next week.

“The Prime Minister informed the President that his government will implement retaliatory tariffs to protect Canadian workers and our economy, following the announcement of additional U.S. trade actions on April 2, 2025,” the PM’s office said in a statement.

Carney said earlier this week that Trump’s team had reached out to set up the call after the president signed a new order to impose import tariffs on the auto sector.

He is scheduled to speak to the media in Montreal this afternoon.

READ MORE: Donald Trump and Mark Carney expected to talk amid auto tariff war