The Radical Reading Room

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday that trade talks with the Trump administration have picked up slightly, but he framed the movement as evidence that Washington is edging toward Canada’s demands rather than the other way around. In the reporting published by The Independent on Tuesday, Carney said, “To the extent any progress has been made, it’s because the U.S. is coming closer to our position,” while also describing only a “slight, slight intensification” of discussions.

The concrete trade dispute dates back to August, when Canada rejected U.S. terms after the two sides had appeared close to a deal. Trump then imposed 50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion in Canadian goods, and Canada retaliated with its own measures and further trade restrictions. That sequence is independently confirmed in AP reporting on Monday, which also noted that Carney said Canada’s negotiating position had not changed and that he could not be sure Trump would honor a new agreement.

There is also fresh evidence that the White House sees the talks as advanced. AP reported that White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said the countries are close to a deal, while Reuters-syndicated coverage described U.S. and Canadian negotiators as working on a package to ease tariffs on Canadian steel and autos. Trump also told rally-goers in Michigan that Canada was “willing to give us anything at this moment” and suggested a deal could come soon, although he has not publicly outlined a final framework.

The political backdrop matters. Trump’s tariff moves have become an issue in close Senate races, and AP reported that Republican candidate Mike Rogers is running an ad saying Canada is “not our enemy” and urging an end to the tariff war. In Maine, Sen. Susan Collins pressed for tariff relief on Canadian goods used by farmers and businesses, and the White House later exempted some imports. Those steps suggest the administration is calibrating the dispute in response to domestic political pressure as much as bilateral economics.

What is known is that negotiations are active, tariff exemptions have begun, and both governments are still publicly leaving room for a deal. What is not known is whether the talks will produce a durable agreement, whether Trump will accept Canada’s red lines, or whether any deal would survive the next political shock. For now, the evidence supports a narrower conclusion than a full breakthrough: the sides are talking again, but the core dispute remains unresolved and politically loaded.