Canadian PM Carney calls snap election, says Trump wants to break Canada

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney takes part in a press conference after meeting with provincial and territorial leaders at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada March 21, 2025. REUTERS/Blair Gable

OTTAWA (Reuters) -New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday called a snap election for April 28, saying he needed a strong mandate to deal with the threat posed by U.S. President Donald Trump, who "wants to break us so America can own us."

The comments showed the extent to which relations between the U.S. and Canada, two long-time allies and major trading partners, have deteriorated since Trump imposed tariffs on Canada and threatened to annex it as the 51st state.