--- title: Canada's Carney Mocks Trump Over Conspiracy Claims description: Since Trump returned to the Oval Office for a second term, relations between the U.S. and Canada have become increasingly strained. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/08/06/canada-carney-trump-rift-teleprompter-malfunction-conspiracy/ author: Tiago Ventura article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-08-06T14:52:48.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-06T23:35:36.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Canada's Carney Mocks Trump Over Conspiracy Claims og:description: Since Trump returned to the Oval Office for a second term, relations between the U.S. and Canada have become increasingly strained. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/08/06/canada-carney-trump-rift-teleprompter-malfunction-conspiracy/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3466af8aa4a7f76e/6a74788f0208b85f6037bc89/Trump_Carney.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Trump_Carney.jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Canada's Carney Mocks Trump Over Conspiracy Claims twitter:description: Since Trump returned to the Oval Office for a second term, relations between the U.S. and Canada have become increasingly strained. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3466af8aa4a7f76e/6a74788f0208b85f6037bc89/Trump_Carney.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Canada's Carney Mocks Trump Over Conspiracy Claims > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters.  by [Tiago Ventura](https://time.com/author/tiago-ventura/)  ## Tiago Ventura Updated: Aug 6, 2026 11:35 PM UTCPublished: Aug 6, 2026 2:52 PM UTC  U.S. President Donald Trump greets Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House in Washington, D.C. on May 6, 2025. U.S. President Donald Trump greets Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House in Washington, D.C. on May 6, 2025. Mandel Ngan––Getty Images  by [Tiago Ventura](https://time.com/author/tiago-ventura/)  ## Tiago Ventura Updated: Aug 6, 2026 11:35 PM UTCPublished: Aug 6, 2026 2:52 PM UTC Canadian Prime Minister [Mark Carney](https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people/2026/mark-carney/) took a swipe at U.S. President Donald Trump when a teleprompter malfunctioned in the middle of his on-camera speech. During a housing policy news briefing at a construction site in Toronto on Wednesday, Carney was speaking in French before he abruptly stopped, [telling](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk-d-GSt0fg&t=474s) the crowd in English: “I would now like to inform you that the teleprompter has ceased to function. Unlike a certain world leader, I do not view this as a conspiracy.” Carney laughed, along with the audience, as he delivered the quip, before launching back into the French-language portion of his speech. The remark appeared to reference Trump's claims of “sabotage” after a teleprompter malfunctioned during his [address](https://time.com/7319639/trump-un-speech-takeaways/) at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last September. “I don’t mind making this speech without a teleprompter, because the teleprompter is not working,” Trump had [said](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6cxZzgPI78) on stage. “I can only say that whoever’s operating this teleprompter is in big trouble.” The incident came after Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania, encountered a stalled escalator en route to the main speaking hall. “This wasn’t a coincidence, this was triple sabotage at the U.N. They ought to be ashamed of themselves. I’m sending a copy of this letter to the Secretary General, and I demand an immediate investigation,” he [said](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115261466629181518]) after the event, insisting there had also been sound issues in the auditorium. Trump has yet to publicly respond to Carney referencing the teleprompter incident, but he did continue his criticism of Canada during his own speech on Wednesday afternoon. Addressing a crowd at the Red Rock Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, Trump touted his economic and immigration policies ahead of the crucial November [midterm elections](https://time.com/article/2026/08/04/midterm-elections-republicans-democrats-polls-economy-trump/). Referencing his controversial approach to tariffs, Trump [said](https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=723&v=khgwrHbUKnA&feature=youtu.be): “I love tariffs, right? Because we've been screwed by tariffs used against us for years. By China, by Japan, by South Korea, by Germany, by everybody, by Canada.” Going on to insult his northern neighbors, the President continued: “Canada’s nasty. They are, they’re nasty. I love the people, but they’re nasty, nasty leadership.” Carney laughed on Thursday when a reporter asked him about Trump's use of the word "nasty" in reference to Canada, and centered his response by reflecting on the ongoing trade talks. "Yes, it's a tough negotiation. You can change the adjective and say 'nasty,' but for ​Canada it's ​a question ⁠of Canadian jobs, it's a question of the future of Canadian enterprises," he [said.](https://x.com/CPAC%5FTV/status/2085399072366608825) "Whatever adjective is used, yes, we're standing up for Canadian workers, for Canadian businesses as we always have from the start." ### The widening rift between Carney and Trump Since Trump returned to the Oval Office for a second term, relations between the two countries have become increasingly strained, partly due to a long-standing row over trade. Canada [imposed tariffs](https://gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2025/2025-04-23/html/sor-dors118-eng.html) on some vehicle imports from the U.S. in 2025 amid a trade war sparked by Trump’s global [tariffs](https://time.com/7212166/what-are-tariffs-trump-imposing-import-taxes/), the majority of which were struck down by a [Supreme Court ruling](https://time.com/7380033/supreme-court-tarriffs-ruling-trump/) earlier this year. In early July, tensions came to a head once more when the U.S. declined to renew the [U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement](https://time.com/article/2026/07/02/us-declines-renewal-trade-pact-mexico-canada-impact/). Toward the end of the month, Trump announced a 50% tariff [hike](https://time.com/article/2026/07/21/trump-tariffs-canada-alcohol-motor-vehicles-dairy/) on Canadian goods, with the levies set to come into effect on Aug. 19. Trump’s repeated mentions of his desire to annex Canada and make it the [51st U.S. state](https://time.com/7297490/trump-plan-to-annex-canada-51st-state-mark-carney/)—an [idea he revisited in June](https://time.com/article/2026/06/02/trump-annex-canada-51st-state-rhetoric-carney-us-partnership-message/)—have also caused upset. In an April 2025 interview with TIME, Trump denied he was “trolling” when talking about annexation. “We’re taking care of their military. We're taking care of every aspect of their lives… We don't need anything from Canada. And I say the only way this thing really works is for Canada to become a state,” he [said](https://time.com/7280114/donald-trump-2025-interview-transcript/). Carney has strongly [pushed back](https://time.com/7357333/carney-trump-row-united-states-canada-relationship/) against the rhetoric, stressing Canada's sovereignty is [“not for sale](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5bkvJ7NOgE).” Other Canadian officials have also vocalized their opposition, with Ontario Premier Doug Ford [insisting](https://x.com/fordnation/status/2061798117167505850): “Canada will never be the 51st state.” Meanwhile, Canada has been battling a series of major [summer wildfires](https://time.com/article/2026/07/17/wildfire-smoke-air-quality-canada-fires-forecast/), with smoke drifting into parts of the northeastern and midwestern United States. Trump seized on the crisis to again criticize Canada's leadership, [vowing](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116936952365066409) to hold the country “responsible” on account of the U.S. being “unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air.” When asked whether he had decided on a penalty for Canada over the wildfire smoke, Trump [told](https://x.com/Acyn/status/2084045811265237452) reporters on Aug. 2: “I have, yeah. You’ll find out about it.” He did not elaborate further. ### How a bridge became a symbol of U.S.-Canada tensions One symbol of the deteriorating relationship is the [Gordie Howe International Bridge](https://time.com/7377319/trump-threatens-canada-ontario-michigan-bridge/). The construction and collaboration involved in the newly-opened bridge, which connects Detroit, Michigan, to Windsor, Ontario, was plagued with difficulties. Trump, in February, [threatened to block ](https://time.com/7377319/trump-threatens-canada-ontario-michigan-bridge/)the bridge's opening, complaining that the infrastructure had been built with “virtually no U.S. content” and demanding compensation. More recently, there have been disagreements over the planned [distribution of tolls.](https://www.reuters.com/video/watch/idRW861916072026RP1/) Tensions erupted after the White House announced a [50% hike on certain Canadian goods](https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/07/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-imposes-additional-tariffs-on-canada/) on July 20, in response to what it insisted was Canada’s “discriminatory treatment” of American products. Amid the fallout, [Canadian officials canceled a joint ribbon-cutting ceremony](https://time.com/article/2026/07/22/canada-cancels-joint-us-gordie-howe-bridge-celebration-trump-trade-threat/) intended to mark the opening of the bridge, instead opting to celebrate the milestone on July 24 without any U.S. representatives. "In light of trade action threatened by the United States, it would be inappropriate to proceed with a celebratory event between the two countries,” Jenna Ghassabeh, a spokesperson for Canadian Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson, told TIME in an emailed statement ahead of the event. At the ceremony, Ford—who was dressed in a Team Canada jersey in honor of prolific Canadian ice hockey player Gordie Howe—said "Canada has never been more united.” He vowed that “Ontario will be ready to respond to any new American tariffs \[and\] will not back down and will negotiate from a position of strength." Trump called out Canada’s decision to “disinvite” the U.S. officials, but [said](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116975941256357814) he was ultimately fine about the move “considering they \[Canada\] are paying substantial tariffs to the United States.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/06/canada-carney-trump-rift-teleprompter-malfunction-conspiracy/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/06/canada-carney-trump-rift-teleprompter-malfunction-conspiracy/"},"headline":"Canada's Carney Mocks Trump Over Conspiracy Claims","datePublished":"2026-08-06T14:52:48.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-06T23:35:36.000Z","description":"Since Trump returned to the Oval Office for a second term, relations between the U.S. and Canada have become increasingly strained.","url":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/06/canada-carney-trump-rift-teleprompter-malfunction-conspiracy/","keywords":["Donald Trump","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3466af8aa4a7f76e/6a74788f0208b85f6037bc89/Trump_Carney.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Tiago Ventura","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/tiago-ventura/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt3466af8aa4a7f76e/6a74788f0208b85f6037bc89/Trump_Carney.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Trump_Carney.jpg","caption":"","creditText":"Mandel Ngan––Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/donald-trump/","name":"Donald Trump"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/08/06/canada-carney-trump-rift-teleprompter-malfunction-conspiracy/","name":"Canada's Carney Mocks Trump Over Conspiracy Claims"}}]}] ```