{
  "id": 4993947,
  "title": "'Stop doing memes': Canada's Mark Carney hits back at US as trade war intensifies",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/02/stop-doing-memes-canadas-mark-carney-hits-back-at-us-as-trade-war",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-02T02:07:30.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/stop-doing-memes-canadas-mark-carney-hits-back-at-us-as-trade-fight-intensifies/articleshow/133695254.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney responded to the United States' recent online barbs, urging Washington to cease \"doing memes, throwing shade and trying to be tough.\" This came after trade discussions between the two nations collapsed, following a series of heated exchanges.\n\nCarney suggested that trade talks could resume if the United States demonstrated a genuine commitment to negotiations. \"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,\" he told reporters.\n\nThe Canadian leader criticized the US approach, stating it would leave Canadian industries effectively as \"subsidiaries\" of American companies or impose terms that would \"gradually wind down\" Canadian businesses. He firmly declared that Canada would not accept such conditions.\n\nCarney emphasized that Washington sought an \"uncompetitive\" deal for key industries, including automobiles, while also advocating for changes impacting French-language and cultural protections. He argued that any one of these issues would have been sufficient to derail an agreement.\n\nFurthermore, Carney pointed out that the United States sought limits on Canada's future trade deals, asserting Canada's right to forge trade agreements with any country it chooses. Despite this, he acknowledged that there had been \"mutually beneficial\" aspects to a potential deal prior to its breakdown.\n\nThe trade negotiations ended on August 21, after the two sides failed to reach a consensus. Since then, the United States has intensified its criticism, including renaming Lake Ontario \"Lake America\" and taunting Canada on social media. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned that Canada could not reciprocate in kind with an economy that is \"13 times larger.\"\n\nThe trade war escalated further when US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth mocked the Canadian military online with a post of two female cadets, drawing Carney's disapproval. The Pentagon, however, defended the post, stating that it was \"not beneath their office.\"\n\nThe trade talks broke down after both parties failed to agree, prompting the United States to impose 50% tariffs on approximately $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. Canada, in retaliation, will impose duties on nearly $20 billion in US goods starting September 8, with rates ranging from 15% to 50%.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 9,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CBC News",
        "title": "Carney says Trump and his cabinet should stop 'throwing shade' and get serious about a deal",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/carney-says-trump-and-his-cabinet-should-stop-throwing-shade-and-get",
        "published": "2026-08-12T19:00:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian",
        "title": "Mark Carney tells US to ‘start being serious’ amid escalating trade war",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/mark-carney-tells-us-to-start-being-serious-amid-escalating-trade-war",
        "published": "2026-09-01T15:48:27.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "National Post",
        "title": "Carney tells U.S. to stop ‘doing memes’ and ‘throwing shade’ as war of words escalates",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/carney-tells-u-s-to-stop-doing-memes-and-throwing-shade-as-war-of",
        "published": "2026-09-01T16:06:22.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Canada's Carney says US needs to start being serious before trade talks can resume",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/canadas-carney-says-us-needs-to-start-being-serious-before-trade",
        "published": "2026-09-01T16:24:38.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Associated Press",
        "title": "‘Stop trying to be tough’: Carney fires back at Trump as US-Canada trade fight escalates",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/stop-trying-to-be-tough-carney-fires-back-at-trump-as-us-canada-trade",
        "published": "2026-09-01T17:23:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News (US)",
        "title": "‘Stop trying to be tough’: Carney fires back at Trump as US-Canada trade fight escalates",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/stop-trying-to-be-tough-carney-fires-back-at-trump-as-us-canada-trade-4905191",
        "published": "2026-09-01T17:28:08.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Carney fires back at Trump as US-Canada trade fight escalates: ‘stop trying to be tough’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/carney-fires-back-at-trump-as-us-canada-trade-fight-escalates-stop",
        "published": "2026-09-01T18:00:45.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Sky News",
        "title": "Stop doing memes and throwing shade, Carney tells Trump",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/stop-doing-memes-and-throwing-shade-carney-tells-trump",
        "published": "2026-09-01T22:37:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}