The comments came a day after Carney warned of a potential "geopolitical rupture" during his address in Davos. While the specific policies Trump considered "freebies" were not explicitly stated, trade relations and defense agreements between the two countries have long been subjects of discussion.

The United States and Canada share one of the world's largest trading relationships. The two nations are also partners in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), now known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which governs trade and investment between the three countries. The USMCA, which went into effect in 2020, updated NAFTA and includes provisions on labor, environmental standards, and intellectual property.

The Canadian Prime Minister's office has not yet issued a formal response to President Trump's remarks. However, analysts suggest that Carney's earlier comments regarding global instability and the need for international cooperation may have been interpreted by the Trump administration as a direct critique of its "America First" foreign policy approach.

The U.S. State Department declined to comment on the specifics of President Trump's statement but reiterated the importance of the bilateral relationship with Canada. Further discussions between U.S. and Canadian officials are expected in the coming weeks to address ongoing trade and security matters.