Prime Minister Mark Carney announced his upcoming trip to Washington to participate in the FIFA World Cup draw and anticipates a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump during the event. Carney sought to manage expectations for the visit, following tension due to Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s anti-tariff campaign that invoked Ronald Reagan.
Carney emphasized the importance of the FIFA draw for Canada, which will co-host the tournament with the U.S. and Mexico next year. Despite paused negotiations between the two countries, Carney revealed that he regularly converses with Trump, although he stressed that substantive talks are essential.
Carney clarified that his recent brief interaction with Trump was not noteworthy, dismissing questions about the specifics. Reflecting on a previous response at the G20 summit, where he had downplayed communication with Trump, Carney admitted to a “poor choice of words” and faced criticism for his dismissive attitude.
The impending encounter at the FIFA draw will not be the first since the breakdown of trade discussions. Following the trade talks’ halt, Carney and Trump briefly acknowledged each other during a pre-summit dinner but did not engage in substantial conversation.