Canada's Carney: Trump Threats Part of Negotiating

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday some of President Trump's threats should be viewed as prepositioning ahead of negotiations to renew the free trade pact between the two large trading partners, per the AP. Carney noted they are entering a review of the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement this year and said he expects a "robust review." Trump "is a strong negotiator, and some of these comments and positioning should be viewed in the broader context of that," Carney said.

Trump threatened this weekend to impose a 100% tariff on goods imported from Canada if America's northern neighbor went ahead with a trade deal with Beijing, something Carney said Canada has no interest in. Carney has said his recent agreement with China merely cuts tariffs on a few sectors that were recently hit with tariffs. Trump's threat came amid an escalating war of words with Carney as the Republican president's push to acquire Greenland strained the NATO alliance.

Carney has emerged as a spokesman for a movement for countries to find ways to link up and counter the US under Trump. Speaking in Davos before Trump, Carney said, "Middle powers must act together because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu." The prime minister received widespread praise and attention for his remarks. Vox dubbed it "the week the US and Canada broke up" in an analysis.