Carney to Trump: Stop Memes, Start Serious Trade Talks

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Tuesday told the Trump administration to abandon its combative social media tactics and engage in serious trade negotiations. His remarks came amid a fresh wave of attacks from Washington, including a proposal to rename Lake Ontario and repeated taunts on social media.

"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," Carney said. He accused the U.S. of pursuing terms that could leave Canadian industries "gradually wound down in Canada and wiped out."

Trade talks between the two nations collapsed on August 21. Since then, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said Canada cannot go "tit for tat" with an economy 13 times larger. Carney, however, stressed that Canada remains open to dialogue if Washington shows genuine intent.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration is also advancing other international initiatives. Treasury Secretary Bessent, hosting G20 finance ministers, announced U.S. sponsorship for a "Financial Literacy Solutions Sprint" competition. He pointed to the Trump Accounts program—an investment account initiative for children—as a model, noting that 7 million children are enrolled, with 86% from families earning under $200,000 annually.

In a separate development, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a federal lawsuit against the Kansas City, Kansas school system over its policies on transgender students. The suit follows an Education Department investigation that found the district in violation of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act by not disclosing a student's gender transition to parents without consent.

Additionally, the White House announced a partnership with North American Blue Energy Partners to develop Venezuela's oil industry, a deal that would give the Pentagon a stake in about a fifth of the country's oil reserves. Analysts remain skeptical, noting it could take years to revive production.