Canada's Carney Flags Challenges in Dealing with Trump

(MENAFN) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney offered a candid and carefully worded assessment of US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, acknowledging the American leader's political prowess while conceding that navigating the relationship presents real challenges.

Addressing an audience at the Lowy Institute, a prominent Australian think-tank during an official visit, Carney was pressed on the nature of his interactions with Washington's chief executive.

"He's president for reasons. He's had success in other areas. He's eminently, you know, elected twice. You would say, elected three times," Carney said, framing Trump's political track record as a key factor in how he approaches the relationship.

The Canadian leader described Trump as a "very successful politician, very special," adding that the US president "appreciates, particularly in private, being direct and discussing issues and being clear where your position is."

Carney also offered a pointed piece of advice regarding public messaging when engaging Trump: "You don't want to say anything in public that you can't back up."

Drawing a contrast between Trump's public and private personas, Carney noted that the president is "quite different in private; he's more interested in your viewpoint on various things in private," and suggested Trump creates the conditions to "work through things."

Despite the measured praise, Carney left little doubt about the difficulty of the bilateral dynamic. "To be clear, it's not easy," he stressed.

The remarks come against a backdrop of mounting tensions between Ottawa and Washington, following Trump's imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods and his subsequent suspension of trade negotiations — a decision triggered by an anti-tariff advertisement that aired on American soil.

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