Trump Holds Trilateral Meeting with Canadian PM and Mexican President

President Donald Trump met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for 45 minutes on Friday, marking the first direct talks between Trump and Sheinbaum. The conversation focused on immigration and trade issues as both Canada and Mexico face mounting pressure from Trump's protectionist trade war.

The three leaders agreed to keep working on the CUSMA trade agreement - the free trade deal between all three countries that Trump negotiated during his first term. Americans call it USMCA, but it's the same agreement that's now up for renegotiation next year.

This meeting comes at a tense time. Trump has already slapped heavy tariffs on Canadian and Mexican exports that fall outside the existing trade agreement. Both neighboring countries are scrambling to renegotiate terms that work better for them before things get worse.

But trade isn't the only issue causing friction. Trump has threatened even more penalties if Canada and Mexico don't do more to stop illegal immigration and drug smuggling across their borders into the US.

The relationship between Trump and Mexico's Sheinbaum got particularly heated when Trump said he'd authorize US military strikes on Mexican soil against drug cartels if necessary. Sheinbaum fired back, saying that would "never happen."

For Carney, this was his first real sit-down with Trump since taking over as Canada's prime minister. He's visited the White House twice since Trump returned to office, but the two leaders had a falling out over Canada's stance against tariffs, which froze trade talks between the countries.

The economic stakes are huge here. All three countries depend heavily on each other for trade, but Canada and Mexico are clearly in the weaker position as Trump pushes his America-first agenda. Both countries know they need to find common ground with Trump or risk serious economic damage from his tariff threats.

The 45-minute call suggests all sides want to keep talking, even as tensions remain high over immigration, drug trafficking, and trade terms.