New York, 28 March 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday said that the "old relationship" between Canada and the United States was "over," following President Donald Trump's announcement of a 25% tariff on car imports from early April.

"I reject any attempts to weaken Canada," Carney said during a news conference in Ottawa.

"The old relationship we had with the United States based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military co-operation is over," Carney said.

Carney, who was elected as the Liberal Party's leader and interim prime minister in March, said Canada would respond to US tariffs "with retaliatory trade actions of our own that will have maximum impact in the United States and minimum impacts here."

The Canadian premier said that Trump had reached out on Wednesday to schedule a call.

"I appreciate this opportunity to discuss how we can protect our workers and build our economies. I will make clear to the president that those interests are best served by cooperation and mutual respect, including of our sovereignty," Carney said.

Trump has been publicly musing for weeks about annexing Canada as the 51st US state.

On Wednesday, Trump announced new US import tariffs on foreign-made vehicles starting in early April.

The auto tariffs are the latest in a slew of levies the US president has imposed since taking office. As it stands, Trump has introduced a 20% tariff on all imports from China and a 25% global tariff on imported steel and aluminum products.

In February, Trump announced 25% across-the-board tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican imports. But he later paused the levy on certain goods and services compliant with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

On Wednesday, Trump said if the European Union and Canada get together to inflict economic damage on the US, he would strike back.

Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump said both would be hit with far greater tariffs than currently planned to "protect the best friend that each of those two countries has ever had!"

Photo: EPA