Amid trade tensions and speculation over a looming federal election, U.S. President Donald Trump is weighing in on Canadian politics yet again, saying he’d “rather deal with a Liberal than a Conservative.”
In an interview with Fox News’ Laura Ingraham on Tuesday, Trump was asked about the Liberal party’s current momentum in the polls under new Prime Minister Mark Carney.
“I think it’s easier to deal actually with a Liberal, and maybe they’re going to win, but I don’t really care. It doesn’t matter to me at all,” Trump said.
Trump also made a jab at Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who like other Canadian leaders of all levels and political stripes has publicly pushed back against the commander-in-chief’s tariffs and annexation threats.
“The Conservative that’s running is stupidly no friend of mine. I don’t know him, but he said negative things,” Trump said. “So when he says negative things, I couldn’t care less.”
Poilievre was quick to respond in a post on X Wednesday morning and used Trump’s comment as an opportunity to go after Carney, saying he “is weak and would cave to Trump’s demands.”
Last night, President Donald Trump endorsed Mark Carney.
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) March 19, 2025
Why? Because, as Trump said, he’s “easier” to deal with, and knows that I will be a tough negotiator and always put Canada First. Carney is weak and would cave to Trump’s demands, just like he did when he moved his company… pic.twitter.com/Dv6FgyyLYg
Speaking to reporters later at an announcement in Sudbury, Ont., Poilievre again acknowledged Trump’s remarks and made similar criticisms about Carney.
“Mark Carney will back down, and his Liberal policies will keep Canada weak, just like Trump wants,” Poilievre said. “Giving the Liberals a fourth term will only weaken our country and strengthen Donald Trump.”
Trump previously criticized Poilievre in an interview with “The Spectator” last month, describing him as “not a MAGA guy.”
During the interview with Fox News, Trump continued to double down on his desire for Canada to become the 51st state, along with his false claim that the U.S. subsidizes Canada by US$200 billion a year. According to Statistics Canada, Canada recorded an overall trade surplus of $94.4 billion with the U.S. in 2023 when goods and services are combined.
TRUMP: "Canada was meant to be the 51st state"
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) March 19, 2025
pic.twitter.com/FoR8dlqTPS
Carney chaired a virtual meeting of the Prime Minister’s Council on Canada-U.S. Relations and a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Canada-U.S. Relations on Wednesday, but did not publicly comment on Trump’s latest remarks.
Speaking to reporters in Ottawa ahead of that meeting, Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said “I would say in (a) time of national crisis, Canadians want to see steady leadership.”
Meanwhile, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson dismissed Trump’s comments.
“I could care less what Donald Trump wants or thinks in the context of Canadian politics,” Wilkinson said. “I think Canadians, at the point at which there’s an election, are going to have a choice of a prime minister. And the choice will be between somebody who actually managed Canada through the last recession and Britian through Brexit, and somebody who has never actually spent a day working in the private sector in his life.”
Asked about Trump preferring to deal with a Liberal over a Conservative, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly says Canadians want “an adult in the room.”
“That adult in the room is Prime Minister Mark Carney, supported by his team.”
Carney to talk to Trump ‘at the appropriate time’
Earlier on Tuesday, while speaking to reporters in Iqaluit, Nvt., at the end of his first trip as prime minister, Carney was asked about a future call with Trump and said, “There’s a wide range of issues to be discussed when we do connect.”
“With respect to trade, I look forward to at the appropriate time having a discussion as two sovereign nations that is comprehensive, not targeted at one issue.”
Before his resignation, former prime minister Justin Trudeau said Trump’s ongoing tariff threats are designed to annex Canada and bring a “total collapse of the Canadian economy.”
Asked by reporters if he shared that assessment, Carney took a more conciliatory approach, saying Trump “wants several things.”
“(Trump) wants to end the fentanyl crisis in the United States. I respect that. He wants good, high paying jobs in America. He wants more investment in America. He wants repatriation of many American industries and firms to the United States and I fully respect that,” Carney said.
“I think he will respect that as prime minister of Canada, I want to end the fentanyl crisis in Canada. I want to grow good, high paying jobs in Canada. And of course, I want to protect with my colleagues and reaffirm and reinforce our sovereignty of all of Canada. So that’s the starting point for the discussion.”
Carney also said the Trump administration’s tariffs have put into question the validity of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) that was signed back in 2018.
“That means that we should have a broader conversation. A broader conversation about our commercial relationship, which also involves a conversation about our security relationship with the United States,” the prime minister said.
This month, Trump imposed a 25 per cent tariff on steel and aluminum imports, with 25 per cent levies on all Canadian imports – and a lower 10 per cent tariff on energy – coming early next month after another reprieve. Global reciprocal tariffs are also expected April 2.
Canada has so far retaliated with its own 25 per cent tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. goods.
According to the latest Nanos Research survey – released Tuesday – Trump and U.S. relations is the top issue of national concern at 26.8 per cent, followed by jobs and the economy at 16.7 per cent.
That same survey says the Conservatives are leading by just one point with 35 per cent of federal voting intention, while the Liberals sit at 34 per cent. Before Trudeau’s resignation and Trump’s inauguration, many polls at the start of the year showed the Liberals behind the Conservatives by more than 20 points.
