Mark Carney tells Trump: Stop doing memes and throwing shade

"Stop doing memes, stop throwing shade, and stop trying to be tough."

That was the message from Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney to Donald Trump on Tuesday, pushing back against the latest wave of attacks from Washington.

Since a trade war between the two powers reignited last month, following the breakdown of negotiations, the US president and several of his top team have repeatedly taunted their northern neighbour.

Mr Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America, a move since adopted by the American tech giants Apple and Google on their maps services; Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth mocked the Canadian military on social media; and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned Canada could not go "tit for tat" with an economy 13 times its size.

Mr Carney has taken a no-nonsense approach to Mr Trump's hostile rhetoric about Canada, most notably his repeated suggestions that it should become the 51st state.

Asked on Tuesday whether he would be prepared to resume trade talks with Washington, Mr Carney responded: "When the Americans stop doing memes, stop throwing shade and stop trying to be tough, and start being serious about having those discussions, we can have those discussions.

"It's not constructive, but that's their democracy."

What's the state of play with tariffs?

The Trump administration has implemented tariff increases on Canadian goods, including alcohol, wood products and clothes, with further hikes on steel, cars, and car parts to be introduced in January.

The Canadian government's counter-tariffs will come into force on 8 September. They include duties of 15%, 25%, and 50% across 700 products, including steel and appliances.

Everyday items like seafood, cheese, clothing, cosmetics and toilet paper will also be impacted.

Read more from Sky News:
Putin on whether Russia will hit UK
Bank VP stabbed to death in Times Square

Mr Carney said the US approach to the trade talks would have left Canadian industries effectively as subsidiaries of American companies or imposed terms under which they would be "gradually wound down [...] and wiped out".

He also accused the Trump administration of seeking limits on trade deals Canada could do with other countries.

The PM's stance has appeared to go down well with voters. His Liberal Party won three by-elections on Monday, bolstering their numbers in the House of Commons.

(c) Sky News 2026: Mark Carney tells Trump: Stop doing memes and throwing shade