Mark Carney Walks Back Davos Remarks in Call With Trump

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney moderated his recent comments on global power shifts during a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Speaking on U.S. television, Bessent said Carney “walked back” elements of a speech delivered last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where the Canadian leader argued that the rules-based international order was breaking down.

The speech drew strong reactions internationally and was widely interpreted as criticism of U.S. foreign policy, even though Washington was not mentioned by name.

According to Bessent, the call between Carney and Trump focused on restoring clarity and reducing friction after the Davos speech prompted sharp responses from the White House.

• Mark Carney walks back Davos remarks in call with Trump
• Canada seeks to ease US tensions after Davos speech criticism
• Trump-Carney call highlights strain over trade, tariffs and global order remarks

Trump had publicly criticized the speech and warned that Canada–U.S. trade relations could face significant consequences if Ottawa pursued policies seen as undermining American interests.

Tensions have risen amid broader disputes over trade tariffs, industrial policy, and Canada China trade ties. Trump recently withdrew Canada’s invitation to a proposed international Board of Peace initiative and threatened tariffs as high as 100% tariffs on Canadian goods if Ottawa deepened trade engagement with Beijing. Canadian officials have said such measures would be economically harmful, noting the United States remains Canada’s largest export market.

Ottawa has stressed that its discussions with China involve a narrow trade framework rather than a comprehensive free-trade agreement. Carney has also sought to portray Trump’s tariff threats as part of a negotiating strategy ahead of a scheduled review of the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement, commonly known as USMCA trade deal, later this year.

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Carney’s office has not commented publicly on Bessent’s account of the call. The episode underscores strain in U.S.–Canada relations at a time when both governments are balancing domestic economic priorities with shifting global alliances and an increasingly uncertain international trade environment.