U.S. President Donald Trump offered an unusually positive assessment of Canada on Thursday, telling supporters at a rally that Ottawa had been treating Washington "extremely nicely" in recent weeks despite ongoing trade tensions fueled by his tariff policies.
Trump, at a campaign rally in Rock Hill, South Carolina, for Republican Senate candidate Darline Graham, said the tariffs he imposed on Canada have had the effect of improving relations.
"They're treating us extremely nicely lately," Trump said.
The U.S. accounted for 71.7% of Canada's merchandise exports in 2025. Prime Minister Mark Carney wants to double exports to other countries over the next decade.
Trump has suggested Canada's proposed EU arrangement could be a "hostile act" and threatened tariffs on Europe if he considered it unfriendly. Asked Wednesday about possible retaliation, a senior Canadian government official told reporters the closer relationship was not directed against the United States but reflected longstanding shared interests.
