Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was inadvertently recorded on a hot mic assuring U.S. President Donald Trump that Canada would limit the import of Chinese electric vehicles. This exchange occurred during a meeting at the Group of Seven (G7) summit held in Évian-les-Bains, France.
In the footage, Carney can be observed speaking softly to Trump, who was sitting nearby. Carney mentioned the word “cap” while gesturing horizontally with his hand. He further clarified, stating, “Less than 3 percent of our market—49,000 cars,” referencing an agreement with China. Carney added, “I thought you’d like that.” Trump responded positively, saying, “That’s good, I like that.”
Newsweek reached out to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for comment via email. The discussion took place on Tuesday at the summit, which included leaders from France, Italy, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom, alongside the U.S. and Canada.
Earlier this year, Carney visited Beijing, joining other world leaders in negotiating agreements with China. This movement was partially driven by uncertainties regarding trade with the U.S. after Trump’s significant tariffs imposed the previous year.
Trump had previously threatened to levy a 100 percent tariff on Canadian goods if Carney pursued a trade deal with China. Despite this, Carney proceeded with an agreement that involved importing Chinese electric vehicles.
China did not participate in the summit but was a focal point in discussions among G7 leaders. Concerns raised included China’s “non-market practices,” such as substantial state subsidies and industrial policies that critics argue create global economic imbalances.
While in Beijing, Carney announced a deal allowing the entry of up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into Canada at a most-favored-nation tariff rate of 6.1 percent. This marked a reduction from the 100 percent duty enforced in 2024. In return, China consented to lower retaliatory tariffs on Canadian canola to about 15 percent from a previous 85 percent.
Efforts by the U.S. and China in recent months aimed to de-escalate trade tensions, highlighted by Trump’s visit to Beijing last month and an invitation extended to Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a reciprocal visit to the U.S. in September.