WASHINGTON — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is holding his first official meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump today. The talks will focus on trade and the future of Canada-U.S. relations.

Carney’s visit to the White House began at 11:30 a.m. ET. He first met with Trump in the Oval Office before the two leaders shared a working lunch. The prime minister will hold a news conference at the Canadian Embassy in Washington at 3 p.m. This is Carney’s first meeting with the U.S. president since his election. The agenda includes discussions of U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods and the potential start of a new round of trade talks. While Carney has said he does not expect the restrictions to be lifted immediately, he called the meeting “a first step toward restoring a stable and mutually beneficial relationship.”

On the eve of the meeting, Trump repeated his controversial statement in an interview with NBC that "Canada could become the 51st state of the United States," which caused a sharp reaction in Ottawa and increased tensions between the countries.

Carney arrived in Washington yesterday afternoon, expressing hope for a dialogue based on respect and partnership.

Stay tuned for more details on the meeting in the coming hours.