Trump says he will not meet Canada's Carney “for a while” after anti-tariff commercial

US President Donald Trump said Monday he has no plans to meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney “for a while,” as tensions continue to rise over a controversial Ontario government ad criticizing his tariff policies.

Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump dismissed the idea of holding talks with Carney during the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea.

“I don’t want to meet with him,” Trump said. “No, I’m not going to be meeting with them for a while. I’m very happy with the deal we have right now with Canada. We’re going to let it ride.”

The US president recently announced a 10 percent increase in tariffs on Canadian goods after taking offense at the ad, which used clips of former US President Ronald Reagan denouncing protectionist trade policies. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the province would stop airing the commercial after the weekend, but Trump has criticized Canada for not immediately pulling it from US broadcasts, including those aired during the World Series.

When asked when the new tariff hike would take effect, Trump said, “We’ll see,” offering no clear timeline.

Currently, Canadian exports are subject to a 35 percent base tariff, though many products are exempt under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Trump did not clarify whether the latest increase would apply to goods covered by that trade pact.

Canada’s steel and aluminum industries already face 50 percent tariffs, while its automobile sector remains partially exempt from Trump’s 25 percent import tax on foreign-made vehicles.

Trump also dismissed the distinction between Ontario’s provincial government and Canada’s federal administration, saying, “The prime minister knew, everybody knew.”

For his part, Prime Minister Carney has downplayed the dispute, saying on Sunday he remains ready to resume trade talks with Washington “at any time.”