Carney Tells Trump He Meant Davos Remarks, Eyes 12 Trade Deals

Prime Minister Mark Carney told President Donald Trump on Monday that he meant his World Economic Forum remarks criticizing economic coercion, and rejected Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's claim that he walked them back, according to Carney.

Carney's Davos statement, made last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, drew international attention for condemning great-power economic coercion and came amid Trump's threats of a 100% tariff on Canadian imports, heightening trade tensions.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News that Carney "aggressively" walked back his remarks in the Oval Office call, a characterization Carney disputed in Ottawa as he arrived for a Cabinet meeting.

Canada plans to pursue 12 new trade deals across four continents in six months to diversify from the United States, a move intended to reduce reliance on the U.S., which accounts for more than 75% of Canadian exports, officials said.

Officials said Carney discussed Ukraine, Venezuela and Arctic security with Trump during the call, and Canada has set a goal to double non-U.S. exports in the next decade amid a USMCA review later this year.