Prime Minister Mark Carney said he did not walk back the sentiments in his World Economic Forum speech that urged countries to recognize the “rupture” in the global order in a call with U.S. President Donald Trump, after U.S. Secretary Scott Bessent said he did.
“To be absolutely clear, and I said this to the president, I meant what I said in Davos,” Carney told reporters in Ottawa when asked about the U.S. media report citing Bessent.
“Canada was the first country to understand the change in U.S. trade policy that he had initiated. And we’re responding to that,” he said.
“He (Trump) understood that, and it was a good conversation.”
Carney’s comments came hours after Bessent said in an interview that Carney “aggressively” walked back some of the comments he made in a call with Trump.
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“I was in the Oval (Office) with the president today. He spoke to Prime Minister Carney, who was very aggressively walking back some of the unfortunate remarks he made at Davos,” Bessent said in an interview on Fox News’ “Hannity” program.
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Carney received a rare standing ovation in Davos for a speech in which he urged nations to accept the end of a rules-based global order.
The phone call with Trump on Sunday included a discussion on a “wide-range” of issues, Carney said.
“The president called me yesterday, we had a very good conversation on a wide range of subjects, ranging from the situation in Ukraine, Venezuela, Arctic security,” Carney said.
Canada’s trade deal with China, which has drawn Trump’s ire, was also discussed, Carney said, adding that he “explained to him our arrangement with China.”
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After Carney’s speech, Trump revoked Canada’s invitation to join a so-called Board of Peace that the U.S. president says aims to resolve global conflicts. Trump also threatened on Saturday to impose a 100 per cent tariff on Canadian goods if Ottawa followed through on a trade deal with U.S. rival China.
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At the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, Carney called on nations to accept that a rules-based global order was over and pointed to Canada as an example of how “middle powers” might act together to avoid being victimized by American hegemony.
Carney, during his speech in Davos, Switzerland, did not directly call out Trump or the U.S. by name. However, the prime minister said “middle powers must act together because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu.”
Many world leaders and industry titans present responded with a standing ovation. Trump was critical of that speech.
“Of course, Canada depends on the U.S.,” Bessent said in his interview.
The Canadian prime minister traveled this month to China to reset the countries’ strained relationship and reached a trade deal with Canada’s second-biggest trading partner after the U.S.
Bessent said on Monday “it would be a disaster for Canada” if Trump imposed further tariffs on Canadian goods.
–with files from Reuters
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