• Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney meets with President Trump amid ongoing trade tensions.
• The two leaders discuss tariffs impacting Canada's economy and the USMCA agreement.
• High tariffs on Canadian imports, particularly in steel and aluminum sectors, remain a point of contention.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House as trade tensions continue between the two nations. The meeting comes on the heels of the U.S. imposing a 35% tariff on most goods from Canada, prompting mutual strains in their traditionally amicable relationship. Carney's visit marks his second to the Oval Office in five months, emphasizing the seriousness of ongoing negotiations concerning the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and upcoming trade reviews, according to abcnews and latimes.

During the meeting, Trump pointed out that while there is a "natural conflict" in trade, given that both countries compete for similar markets, he remains hopeful about achieving a favorable deal for Canada. "America loves Canada and the people of Canada," Trump remarked, indicating a positive tone despite the underlying tensions stemming from high tariffs on metals and vehicles, according to aljazeera and bbc.

Carney's meeting is particularly significant, as he faces domestic pressure to demonstrate progress on these trade discussions. After the tariffs led to significant economic challenges in Canada, including a 1.5% decline in GDP, the stakes are high for Carney's administration. Critics, including Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre, have expressed that any visit without concrete progress could be deemed a failure, emphasizing the need for tangible outcomes from the negotiations, according to scmp and latimes.

Both leaders have acknowledged that the lack of agreements on tariffs, especially significant ones affecting steel and automotive sectors, continues to be a barrier. Although Trump showed willingness to discuss potential deals, specific concessions were not made clear during the meeting. "Improving relations with the White House ahead of USMCA review is certainly an objective of the trip," Carney reiterated, signaling the importance of this reciprocal communication, as noted by sources including bbc and scmp.