Trump Says U.S. and Canada Have the 'Concept' of a New Trade Deal After Talks With Carney

President Donald Trump said Sunday that his administration has the 'concept' of a new trade deal with Canada, after speaking with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in recent days. Trump told reporters he had spoken with Carney again the previous day and described the emerging framework as one that would be good for American farmers and for the country, while declining to offer details.

Carney said separately on Sunday that he had a good conversation with Trump on the future of trade between the two countries, which have been embroiled in a trade war. In a post on X, Carney said the exchange builds on recent constructive discussions on the outlines of a mutually beneficial deal that would create jobs, improve affordability, and fully respect Canada's languages, culture, and sovereignty.

Carney added that the two countries' teams will now work in the coming weeks to deliver that outcome, signaling that no final agreement has been reached. The cautious wording from both leaders, a 'concept' and 'outlines' rather than a signed deal, leaves the substance, including tariffs, still to be negotiated.

The talks matter well beyond the negotiating table. Canada is one of America's largest trading partners, and the trade dispute has weighed on farmers, manufacturers, and consumers on both sides of the border. Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said Saturday that Canada is also making rapid progress diversifying its trade and security ties around the world, with a goal of doubling its non-U.S. trade in the next decade.

For now, the announcement functions as a political signal as much as a policy step: both leaders can point to progress days before U.S. voters go to the polls, while the hard bargaining over terms is pushed into the coming weeks.