Carney and Trump chit-chat on the sidelines
Just before the draw got underway, Prime Minister Mark Carney entered the private viewing box for the Canadian delegation, right beside the U.S. box, where he saw and greeted President Donald Trump.
From my vantage point here in the press box at the Kennedy Center, it appeared they had some brief chit-chat, with maybe an awkward pause in there.
Earlier, Carney met briefly with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for a conversation on the sidelines of the draw. The meeting began around 11:30 a.m. ET, and was done by 11:45 a.m. — as by that time Carney was spotted in the private box where the Canadian delegation will watch the draw.
Trade is a concern for both leaders, as they attempt to navigate Trump’s tariffs and concerns he may pull the U.S. out of CUSMA, the three-way trade deal.
As much as this is about the biggest sporting event in the world, the political tensions of this moment hang over the celebrations. And the guest list is a reminder of what’s at stake.
On my way into the media viewing area, I saw Marc-André Blanchard, the PM’s chief of staff along with Tim Krupa, who is a senior policy advisor deeply involved in the Canada-U.S. relations file. I asked them briefly if there were any nerves about Carney’s chat with Trump, and they both politely told me this is an event about soccer.
I also saw Scott Bessent, who is the U.S. treasury secretary — a highly influential member of Trump’s cabinet who helps shape his economic policy.