U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Monday that Canada turned a trade dispute into a "political shouting match" and denied a trade war exists.
The exchange highlights growing tension between the two North American neighbors over trade agreements and suggests a breakdown in diplomatic communication between high-level officials.
Bessent spoke during the G20 finance ministers summit held in Asheville, North Carolina. He accused Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney of walking away from a proposed trade deal and politicizing the resulting friction. The Treasury Secretary dismissed reports of a formal trade war, characterizing the current atmosphere as a rhetorical conflict rather than a systemic economic battle.
"He’s turned this into a political shouting match," Bessent said.
Bessent suggested that the current instability was a result of the Canadian leader's choices regarding the negotiations. He noted that the situation had devolved into a public confrontation that hindered a resolution.
"And then he started this. And it's unfortunate," Bessent said.
While some reports have described the current state of relations as a trade war, the U.S. Treasury Department maintains that the conflict is driven by political rhetoric. The disagreement comes as finance ministers from the world's largest economies gather to discuss global fiscal policy, and stability. The friction between the U.S. and Canada remains a focal point of the summit's regional discussions.
“"He’s turned this into a political shouting match."”
The public disagreement between Bessent and Carney indicates a shift toward more confrontational diplomacy in U.S.-Canada relations. By framing the dispute as a 'shouting match' rather than a trade war, the U.S. Treasury is attempting to downplay the economic severity of the rift while placing the blame for the diplomatic failure on the Canadian leadership.
