U.S. President Donald Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with Canada over stalled trade negotiations, according to White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett. Speaking to reporters on Friday, Hassett said Trump’s irritation “has built up over time,” describing Canada as “very difficult to negotiate with.”
“The Canadians have shown a lack of flexibility,” said Hassett, who heads the U.S. National Economic Council. “The talks have not been very collegial and have not gone well. The president wants a great deal with Canada, just like he wants a great deal with Mexico.”
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Trump abruptly halted trade discussions late Thursday after the province of Ontario launched a television ad in the United States criticizing tariffs and featuring archival footage of former president Ronald Reagan advocating for free trade. The ad, which aired during the World Series, appeared to strike a nerve with Trump, who accused Canada of attempting to influence the U.S. Supreme Court ahead of a key decision on his global tariff policies.
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The freeze in negotiations comes despite weeks of progress between Canadian and American officials, who had been working toward a sector-specific deal focused on steel and aluminum. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had earlier rolled back most of the retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports that were imposed by his predecessor in an effort to create goodwill and move talks forward.
However, Trump’s administration appears unconvinced. “The president’s frustration has been growing because the Canadians have not been responsive in the way we’d hoped,” Hassett said in an earlier interview with Fox News.
While the White House has signaled it remains open to future talks, the sudden breakdown highlights the deep tensions between the two longtime trading partners as both sides struggle to find common ground on tariffs and broader economic cooperation.
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