WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday at a FIFA World Cup event in Washington, D.C. The meeting will take place at the Kennedy Center, where the final draw for the World Cup will occur. The Prime Minister's Office indicated that the meeting is expected to be brief. Carney will also meet with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum during the event.

This gathering marks the first in-person meeting of the three leaders ahead of the mandatory review of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) on trade, which is set for next year. The backdrop of the meeting is significant, as trade negotiations between Canada and the United States remain stalled amid ongoing tensions.

Carney and Sheinbaum have adopted different strategies in their dealings with the Trump administration. Following Canada’s April election, Carney quickly traveled to Washington for a meeting with Trump. Despite a friendly atmosphere during that meeting, Trump raised tariffs on Canadian goods to 35 percent in August. These tariffs do not apply to products that comply with CUSMA. Canadian industries have also faced additional tariffs on steel, aluminum, automobiles, lumber, and copper.

In response to Trump's policies, Canada has increased border security, raised NATO funding, and eliminated its digital services tax to appease the U.S. administration. Carney has maintained regular communication with Trump, and the two leaders met again in October, where Trump praised Carney. However, trade talks were abruptly halted after Trump reacted negatively to an advertisement from Ontario that quoted former President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs.

Carney mentioned last week that he and Trump have spoken recently, but their discussions did not cover trade negotiations. The FIFA event will also be the first face-to-face meeting between Trump and Sheinbaum. They were previously scheduled to meet during the G7 summit in June, but Trump left early to address escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Trump has not increased the 25 percent tariffs on Mexico, citing Sheinbaum's efforts to tackle migration and drug smuggling at the border. Sheinbaum stated on Wednesday that it is “not yet decided” if she will have a private meeting with Trump during the FIFA event, adding, “If it were to happen, it would be a very brief meeting.”

The 2026 World Cup, which aims to highlight North American unity, will unfold amid critical trade negotiations among the three nations. While Canada and Mexico have been somewhat insulated from the worst effects of Trump's tariffs due to CUSMA, the future of the trade agreement remains uncertain. When asked about the CUSMA review, Trump remarked that the trade pact “expires” next year and suggested that they might either let it lapse or negotiate a new deal with Canada and Mexico. Originally negotiated during Trump's first term, CUSMA replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement. Trump had previously hailed CUSMA as the best deal ever but has since referred to it as a “transitional” agreement that may have fulfilled its purpose.