Instead, Lutnick patiently explained the administration’s tariff goals, assured Ford the US understands Canada’s concerns, and said he wants differences reconciled. No wonder Ford left smiling—but are these really Trump’s views?

Let’s look at little closer at what was said.

Trump’s Tariffs are about Reducing the Deficit

Ford was accompanied by two senior federal ministers, Dominic LeBlanc and François-Philippe Champagne, so Lutnick was addressing Canada along with Ontario. Ontario's Representative in Washington, David Paterson, also attended, and reported on the meeting to the CBC’s David Cochrane. 

The first half hour, says Paterson, was a “masterclass from Lutnick on why the US is focused on tariffs.” America’s $2 trillion deficit is at crisis levels, and Trump supposedly wants to raise revenues and attract investment to eliminate it.

The tariffs may be unfair but linking them to the deficit is still welcome news. It creates clarity—and that’s the first step toward a solution. Lutnick also dangled a carrot. Once the deficit is under control, allies who cooperate will be “first in line” to negotiate better arrangements. 

In short, Ontario and Canada are advised to swallow the medicine without complaint. “It really helps us when you say, look, I get it,” Lutnick advised.

But for how long?

Does this Sound Like Trump?

Just days before the meeting, Trump called Ford’s countermeasures "egregious" and "insulting," labelled Canada a "tariff abuser," and threatened to double tariffs on steel and aluminum. If Lutnick really spoke for Trump, this was a full about-face.

Of course, Trump changing his mind is hardly news. His rationale for tariffs shifts erratically among fentanyl, migration, trade deficits, and manufacturing—but that leaves us wondering why anyone would now believe the tariffs are about deficit reduction.

More likely, the clarity and civility of the meeting reflect Lutnick’s efforts to smooth over Trump’s bellicose style and impose order on his shifting messages. Lutnick isn’t alone—managing chaos has quickly become a critical survival skill in Trump’s cabinet.

Following the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting in Quebec last Thursday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio explained away talk of Canada becoming “the 51st state” by attributing the idea to Justin Trudeau, who supposedly told Trump Canada couldn’t survive a 25% across-the-board tariff. Rubio claims Trump was merely drawing the logical conclusion: economically, Canada would be better off joining the US.

But if that’s true, why raise sovereignty at all—and not just Canada’s? Just the day before, Trump casually informed NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte of his plan to occupy Greenland—during an Oval Office press conference. "You know, Mark,” he said, “we need [Greenland] for international security… We'll be talking to you."

Or consider Attorney General Pam Bondi, who assured senators at her confirmation hearing there would never be an “enemies list” at the Department of Justice. Yet last Friday, Trump gave a speech there calling his opponents “scum,” judges “corrupt,” and prosecutors investigating him “deranged,” then demanding “full accountability” for their actions.

The list goes on, but the lesson is clear: Trump isn’t striving for clarity, coherence, or ideological consistency. He sees his role as MAGA’s visionary, perhaps even its prophet—and that’s a problem for his cabinet.

The Weaver: Trump as Storyteller

Trump loves public speaking and, notoriously, improvises as he speaks. He even has a name for his style: “The Weave.” It’s a telling phrase that positions Trump as a storyteller rather than a policy wonk. MAGA’s political narrative is his artwork, and The Weave is his way of shaping the movement’s tapestry—its vision and goals.

Trump’s MAGA story is complex. Elements can look different depending on the viewpoint: tariffs might be about deficits from one angle, migrants from another. Trump and his base see no contradiction in these shifting meanings. His cabinet, however, needs clarity and consistency—so they grasp at threads of coherence that so often are left dangling.

The Weave also allows Trump to move emerging ideas between background and foreground, testing them without firm commitments. Sovereignty is one of these ideas, floating uncertainly between these levels. Will Trump elevate it into a defining MAGA theme, with implications for Canada or even the world? The answer isn’t clear—perhaps even to Trump himself. Like his story, circumstances continue to evolve.

Looking Ahead

When Premier Ford meets with Lutnick later this week, he should keep his guard up. Lutnick’s clarity and civil tone may be encouraging but likely have more to do with his team than the president. Trump’s reasons for tariffs could shift suddenly—from deficits to sovereignty or migration—making any apparent progress quickly seem like an illusion.

As for Lutnick’s promise that cooperative countries will be “first in line” for tariff reductions, this sounds more like an effort to deliver results he believes Trump wants. But if Trump later decides Ontario or Canada stands in the way of other goals, cooperation won’t matter a whit.

Don Lenihan PhD is an expert in public engagement with a long-standing focus on how digital technologies are transforming societies, governments, and governance. This column appears weekly. To see earlier instalments in the series, click here.