‘Stop trying to be tough’: Carney fires back at Trump as US-Canada trade fight escalates

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told the Trump administration Tuesday to “stop doing memes, stop throwing shade and stop trying to be tough,” as he pushed back against a fresh wave of attacks from Washington.

Carney said U.S.-Canada trade talks could resume if Washington became serious about negotiations, but he also accused the United States of pursuing terms that he said could leave Canadian industries “gradually wound down in Canada and wiped out.”

“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. “It’s not constructive, but that’s their democracy.”

His comments came during a fresh barrage from Washington since trade talks collapsed Aug. 21. Trump has moved to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America” and taunted Canada on social media, while U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Canada could not go “tit for tat” with an economy 13 times larger.

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also mocked the Canadian military online, posting an image Monday of two female cadets at a British Columbia training center with the words “this is real” and a Canadian flag. Carney called the post “beneath their office.” The Pentagon stood by it Tuesday, saying, “The X post speaks for itself.”

Carney said the U.S. approach in the talks would have left Canadian industries effectively as subsidiaries of American companies or imposed terms under which they would be “gradually wound down in Canada and wiped out.”

“We’re not going to — of course, we’re not going to accept those terms,” Carney said.

The prime minister said Washington sought an “uncompetitive” deal for key industries, including autos, while pushing changes affecting French-language and cultural protections. He said any of those issues was enough to block an agreement.

Carney said Washington also sought limits on Canada’s future trade deals. “Canada is a sovereign state. We will strike free trade deals with the countries we wish to strike free trade deals,” he said.

He said there had been “mutually beneficial” elements of a deal before the talks broke down.

Carney was also buoyed by Monday's Liberal sweep of three special elections, including a decisive win in Chicoutimi-Le Fjord, Quebec, where the Conservatives fell to third place.

The victories brought the Liberals to 173 seats in the 343-seat House of Commons and reinforced Carney’s position as he confronts Trump over trade and Canadian sovereignty.

Nelson Wiseman, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Toronto, said Trump’s annexation threats carry particular weight in Quebec. “Quebecers have the most to lose in an apocalyptic scenario where the U.S. absorbs Canada, and the status of the French language disappears,” he said.

U.S.-Canada trade talks collapsed after the two sides failed to reach a deal, and Trump imposed 50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion in Canadian goods. Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on nearly $20 billion in U.S. goods are scheduled to take effect Sept. 8, with duties ranging from 15% to 50%.

Trump has repeatedly talked about making Canada the 51st U.S. state.

Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks to journalists as he arrives at the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council in Ottawa, Canada, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks to journalists as he arrives at the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council in Ottawa, Canada, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks with members of the media as he arrives at the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council in Ottawa, on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks with members of the media as he arrives at the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council in Ottawa, on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks with members of the media as he arrives at the Office of the Prime Minister and Privy Council in Ottawa, on Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Flavio Cobolli rallied from two sets down to avoid an early upset on the men’s side, and his wasn't even the most dramatic comeback at the U.S. Open on Tuesday.

Maria Sakkari fell behind 6-2, 4-0 once she was finally able to get on the court after the rain stopped, then the No. 32 seed rallied to edge Robin Montgomery 2-6, 7-5, 6-2.

French Open champion Mirra Andreeva and 2024 U.S. Open runner-up Taylor Fritz had smooth sailing into the second round, unlike some of the other close calls after a rainy morning.

Cobolli, the No. 5 seed and French Open runner-up, beat Francisco Comesana 3-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4, finishing his match that lasted 4 hours, 12 minutes not long after some sun had broken through the clouds and allowed play to start on all the outside courts.

Cobolli made his first career two-set comeback to avoid joining No. 4 seed Novak Djokovic and No. 10 Arthur Fils among early losers in a men's draw that was already missing top-ranked Jannik Sinner, Cobolli's fellow Italian who was unable to play in the tournament because of a right knee injury.

He said he took a bathroom break after the second set and decided to change everything.

“So I changed all the dress that I started with today and it works,” Cobolli said. “In Grand Slams it’s never done. You have to fight until the last point.”

Fritz, the No. 9 seed, rolled to a 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 victory over 18-year-old fellow American Darwin Blanch. Andreev beat Janice Tjen 6-2, 6-2.

Madison Keys was the first player to move into the second round early in a tournament where rain threatened to hamper the schedule for a couple days.

Showers that began Monday night and would possibly be on and off through the middle of the week delayed play on all the outer courts, allowing for action only in Arthur Ashe Stadium and Louis Armstrong Stadium, which have retractable roofs.

Keys, the No. 22 seed, beat 19-year-old Alina Korneeva 7-5, 6-4 in the leadoff match in Ashe. The 2017 U.S. Open runner-up was knocked off in the first round last year in Flushing Meadows.

“It’s always tough playing someone young and up and coming, and they’re going after their shots,” Keys said. “And it’s so hard to play a first round of a Grand Slam, so nervous and just wanting to do so well. So, really happy I was able to kind of fight through that and win today.”

Play finally began outdoors in the middle of the afternoon, when No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina beat Thea Frodin 6-3, 6-2. Frodin, a 17-year-old from California, was the body double for actor Demi Singleton, who played Serena Williams, in the 2021 film “King Richard.”

Coco Gauff, the 2023 U.S. Open champion, No. 17 Alex Eala, and men’s No. 1 seed Alexander Zverev were scheduled at night on the third and last day of the first round.

Keys was broken when serving for the match with a 5-3 lead, but recovered to break back in the next game and finish up the match.

The American lost to Sloane Stephens in the 2017 U.S. Open final and returned to Flushing Meadows last year after winning the first major title of her career by beating No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open final. But what started out as a great year fell flat at the finish after Keys was stunned by Renata Zarazua of Mexico in the first round of last year's U.S. Open after committing 89 unforced errors.

No. 12 seed Belinda Bencic, who teamed with Cobolli to reach the mixed doubles final, lost to Yulia Putintseva in three sets.

See AP’s full tennis coverage here

Flavio Cobolli, of Italy, celebrates winning a match against Francisco Comesana, of Argentina, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Flavio Cobolli, of Italy, returns the ball to Francisco Comesana, of Argentina, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Flavio Cobolli, of Italy, reacts during a match against Francisco Comesana, of Argentina, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

A crew member walks across the court at Grandstand stadium during a rain delay at the U.S. Open tennis championships Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Madison Keys, of the United States, returns the ball to Alina Korneeva, of Russia, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

A couple sits under an umbrella during a rain delay on the Grandstand court during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)