Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney isn’t backing down. On Tuesday, he firmly rejected White House claims that he apologised or softened his stance after delivering a scathing speech about American leadership at the World Economic Forum.
Last week in Davos, Carney didn’t hold back. He told the global elite that the U.S.-led international system built over decades is now “cracking at the seams.” He called on middle-tier countries to reduce their dependence on American economic power, accusing Washington of using it as a tool of “coercion.”
Trump wasn’t having it. The president shot back with a warning: watch your mouth, because “Canada only exists thanks to America.”
Then came Monday’s twist. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent appeared on Fox News with an eyebrow-raising claim. “I was right there in the Oval Office today. The president talked to Prime Minister Carney, who was seriously backtracking from those really unfortunate comments he made in Davos,” Bessent told viewers.
Carney’s response? Not a chance.
Facing reporters in Ottawa the next day, Canada’s leader set the record straight. “Let me be crystal clear and I told the president this directly I meant every single word I said in Davos,” Carney declared.
He went further, emphasizing that Canada “saw the writing on the wall first” when it came to Trump’s shake-up of U.S. trade policy. “We understood what was happening, and we’re dealing with it,” he said.
As for Monday’s phone call? Carney revealed that Trump made the call, not the other way around. They discussed serious matters Arctic security threats, the war in Ukraine, Venezuela’s crisis but one thing wasn’t on the agenda: an apology for Davos.
The message from Ottawa is clear: Canada isn’t retreating.
