Carney Pitches Chinese EV Import Deal to Trump on G7 Hot Mic

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was caught on a hot microphone at the G7 Summit in France appearing to pitch a deal for Canada to import Chinese electric vehicles to U.S. President Donald Trump. The conversation, which occurred before a working lunch focused on global crises, captured Carney discussing the specifics of the agreement with Trump.

Carney explained that Canada plans to import fewer than 49,000 Chinese EVs, representing less than three percent of the Canadian market. He emphasized that the number is capped and presented it as a "hard line" he thought Trump might appreciate. Trump responded positively, saying, "That's good, I like it," before turning away.

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Less than three per cent of our market, 49,000 cars. It's a cap, we capped, a hard line … I thought you'd actually like that.

This discussion comes amid significant concerns within the Trump administration regarding Canada's plan. Trump has previously threatened new tariffs and stated he would not permit Canada to serve as a "drop-off port" for Chinese vehicles entering the U.S. The Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers Association, representing major automakers like Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis in Canada, has also urged the government to scrap the deal, fearing it could harm the North American auto industry.

Critics have raised alarms about the potential for China to heavily subsidize its EV industry, making Chinese cars more affordable than those produced elsewhere. Furthermore, concerns about the technology used in Chinese EVs and the possibility of Chinese government access to consumer data have led to them being dubbed "rolling spy vehicles." U.S. Democrats have proposed legislation to block Chinese-made cars from entering the U.S., citing national security and surveillance risks. Data shows over 2,900 Chinese EVs entered Canada in May, marking the initial phase of imports under the new agreement.

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That's good, I like it.