Trump Heats up Meeting with Canada PM Carney in Tariff Time

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Trump Questions $200 Billion ‘Subsidy’ to Canada Ahead of Prime Minister Carney’s White House Visit

By TRH News Desk

NEW DELHI, May 6, 2025 — US President Donald Trump set a provocative tone for his upcoming meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. In a post on X, Trump said that he looks forward to discussions but “US doesn’t require anything that Canada exports”.

He questioned why the US allegedly subsidizes Canada by “$200 billion Dollars a year, in addition to giving them free military protection.”

The post, made hours before Carney’s arrival at the White House on Tuesday, reignited tensions amid an ongoing trade war and Trump’s repeated claims that Canada should become the 51st US state.

“I very much want to work with him, but cannot understand one simple TRUTH,” Trump wrote, claiming the US does not need Canada’s cars, energy, or lumber, while asserting that Canada “need[s] EVERYTHING from us!”

He emphasized maintaining friendship but framed the subsidy and military protection as his “only question of consequence” for the meeting.

The $200 billion figure has been widely disputed. A Washington Post fact-check found no evidence to support Trump’s claim, noting that trade deficits are not subsidies and estimating Canada’s military spending shortfall relative to NATO’s 2% GDP target at $13 billion, far from $200 billion.

“Trump earns Four Pinocchios,” the outlet concluded, suspecting he chose a “nice round number” for effect.

Carney, who won a historic election on April 28, has campaigned on standing up to Trump’s tariffs and annexation rhetoric. In a statement, Carney said he aims to “get the best deal for Canada” while addressing “immediate trade pressures” like the 25% tariffs on Canadian vehicles, steel, and aluminum, set to intensify post-April 2.

Canada has retaliated with C$60 billion in tariffs on U.S. goods. Experts offered varied perspectives on the high-stakes visit.

@Martyupnorth_2 highlighted Trump’s NBC interview, where he reiterated the $200 billion subsidy claim, saying, “This week’s meeting between Trump and Carney should be fun,” but warned of the annexation rhetoric looming large.

James M., a Canadian free speech advocate, painted a grim picture, noting, “Carney arrives in Washington. Only Canadian embassy staff meet him. Trump sends no one,” and alleging Trump slapped a 100% duty on Canada’s movie industry, though no official confirmation exists.

@borderpolman suggested the White House views the meeting as “unimportant”, with US media largely silent and Trump expressing uncertainty about Carney’s agenda. Yet, they noted Trump’s “more respectful language” toward Carney compared to his predecessor, Justin Trudeau.

Laura Dawson, executive director of the Future Borders Coalition, told the National Post that Carney should form a multi-party trade front, including Conservative representation, to navigate the “short-term crisis” and long-term competitiveness challenges.

She suggested the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) review, due in 2026, could be a framework for negotiations. Roland Paris, an international affairs expert at the University of Ottawa, told The Globe and Mail that Trump’s demands remain unclear, urging Carney to channel discussions into structured USMCA talks to manage Trump’s “free-form style”.

The meeting, described by The Guardian as a “closely watched encounter”, follows Trump’s softer tone after a “productive” March 28 call with Carney, where he used Carney’s proper title and avoided annexation jabs.

With Canada sending 75% of its exports to the US and supplying critical resources like oil and potash, the stakes are high. Carney’s pledge to pivot trade toward the UK and EU, coupled with plans to meet NATO’s 2% defence spending target by 2030, aims to counter Trump’s narrative.

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