WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Mark Carney met privately Friday with U.S. President Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in Washington, D.C., as relationships between the North American neighbours have been rocked by tariffs.

No staff were in the room with the three leaders during the around 45 minute meeting that took place at the Kennedy Center following the FIFA World Cup Draw.

The Prime Minister’s Office said the leaders agreed to keep working on the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, known as CUSMA. The trade pact has shielded Canada and Mexico from broad-based tariffs, but the agreement enters its mandatory review period next year.

The three countries are co-hosting the 2026 World Cup, but the shadow of CUSMA negotiations is likely to hang over the event. Trump said Wednesday he sees the deal expiring next year and mused about letting it die.

Friday also marked the first private meeting between Carney and Trump since the U.S. president abruptly ended trade talks in October in response to an anti-tariff ad sponsored by the Ontario government.

Trump and Carney appeared very friendly during the FIFA event, constantly leaning in to talk to each other while laughing and smiling. After participating on stage, Sheinbaum joined Trump and Carney in a balcony to watch the rest of the draw — a sign of North American unity.

The show of cordiality could be key as Carney faces increasing pressure in Canada to negotiate a bilateral deal that could help key Canadian industries being hammered by Trump’s tariffs. There was no indication Friday, however, that trade talks had restarted.

At the Canadian Embassy’s World Cup celebration and tree lighting ceremony on Friday evening, Carney shared an anecdote of his conversations with the president during the FIFA event earlier in the day.

Carney said when Paraguay was picked he noted to the American president that they were a good team. Soon after, Paraguay landed in a grouping with the United States’ team.

The prime minister joked he told Trump not to worry.

“I was like, ‘Don’t worry these are just recommendations. We have to sign off,'” Carney joked, adding FIFA President Gianni Infantino would not be happy with that suggestion.

Carney said the countries will welcome more than 40 teams from all over the world and it was a “moment of pride” and joy to share the World Cup experience with Canada’s “dear neighbours,” Mexico and the United States.

U.S. Secretary of Interior Doug Burgum and Trump friend and Canadian hockey legend Wayne Gretzky were in attendance at the Canadian embassy event, as was Infantino and Jesse Marsch, the head coach of the Canada men’s national team.

Canada and Mexico have taken different approaches to the second Trump administration.

Carney had two cordial meetings with the president at the White House.

Friday’s gathering marked the first in-person meeting between Trump and Sheinbaum. The Mexican president also had a separate meeting with just Carney.

Trump boosted duties on Canada to 35 per cent in August but has continued to give extensions to Mexico, which is being hit by 25 per cent duties. Both countries are also being slammed by the president’s separate tariffs on steel, aluminum, automobiles, lumber and copper.

Mexico and Canada have been searching for tariff off-ramps while making the case for duty-free continental trade as Trump threatens to pull the U.S. out of CUSMA.

The CUSMA review, which formally begins in July, boils down to a three-way choice for each country: renew the deal for another 16 years, withdraw from the agreement, or signal both non-renewal and non-withdrawal — which essentially would keep negotiations going.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told Politico this week Trump could withdraw the U.S. from the agreement and raised the idea of negotiating with Canada and Mexico separately.

Greer’s office held public hearings in Washington this week on the future of the trade agreement. Canadian industry and business groups testified about CUSMA’s importance and called for a timely review.

A news release from the Business Council of Canada said its president and CEO Goldy Hyder told the hearing “the livelihoods of American, Mexican and Canadian workers and their families depend on the continued, certain and predictable operation of (CUSMA).”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2025.

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press