Hours before Canada’s trade minister arrived in Washington on Tuesday for trade talks, President Trump posted an article about Canada being in a technical recession and made a familiar comment: “51st state!”
It was the first time in months that Mr. Trump used the phrase that has fueled a wave of Canadian patriotism and reshaped the country’s political fortunes.
The two neighbors — allies with closely integrated economies — have been navigating a period of profound mistrust since his second term, as Mr. Trump has repeatedly used menacing language about Canada and threatened to incorporate it into the United States.
But conditions have been calmer in recent weeks. Then, the post on Monday evening reignited anger about Mr. Trump’s demeaning and menacing attitude toward Canada, just days before the two countries, alongside Mexico, begin co‑hosting the World Cup.
The post, which was reposted by the U.S. ambassador to Canada, highlights the tense atmosphere as the United States, Canada and Mexico prepare to review their free‑trade agreement.
The post included a link to a Bloomberg article about Canada’s economy experiencing two consecutive quarters of negative growth, accompanied by the comment, “51st state!”
Mr. Trump’s disrespect has helped elevate Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, who won an election last spring promising to strengthen the economy and increase its independence from the United States. The two men have enjoyed a seemingly positive chemistry during their in‑person meetings, but their relationship appears to have deteriorated since Mr. Carney made a high‑profile speech in January, describing the end of an era of U.S. hegemony and urging “middle powers” like Canada to cooperate to survive.
Last week, Mr. Carney adopted a conciliatory tone in a speech in New York, suggesting that a stronger, independent Canada would be a better partner for the United States.
The United States and Mexico have already begun formally negotiating changes to their trade agreement, and the United States Trade Representatives’ office has released a schedule for the next rounds of talks, which will extend well into July.
However, Canada has remained silent on the trade agreement.
The two nations have not begun formal discussions, nor is there a plan for how those will unfold in the coming weeks and months.
The United States‑Mexico‑Canada Agreement, which Mr. Trump signed into law during his first term, is set to be reviewed by July 1, but discussions are expected to continue into the summer.
The United States has largely exempted Canada and Mexico from the country‑specific blanket tariffs it has imposed on most nations, owing to the USMCA.
Nevertheless, U.S. tariffs on industrial sectors — including autos, aluminum, steel and lumber — are straining parts of the Canadian economy.
On Tuesday afternoon, Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s minister for intergovernmental affairs, is scheduled to meet with Jamieson Greer, the United States Trade Representative, in Washington to discuss how negotiations between the two countries will proceed.
A successful outcome for Canada would be for Mr. LeBlanc to leave Washington with a clearer timetable for formal trade talks, similar to the schedule established with Mexico.
In a letter to the United States and Mexico ahead of his Washington visit, Mr. LeBlanc said Canada would like the USMCA renewed for another 16 years.
The Trump administration has indicated it does not view the agreement in the same favorable light, despite Canada and Mexico being the United States’ two largest trading partners. Mr. Trump has repeatedly claimed Canada lacks assets the United States desires, yet when he signed the pact he described it as a triumph.
“The USMCA is the fairest, most balanced, and beneficial trade agreement we have ever signed into law. It’s the best agreement we’ve ever made,” Mr. Trump said in a January 2020 speech.
Mr. Greer, an experienced trade expert who helped craft the deal, has argued that it has been overly advantageous to Canada at the expense of the United States.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the meetings or the president’s social‑media post.
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