Ottawa insider at center of Canada-Trump trade dispute

Charette told POLITICO that the two sides had resolved "90 percent of the problems" before Carney withdrew Canadian negotiators, citing new red flags in the fine print. She asserted that Canada had been asking for the inclusion of medium and heavy trucks since July and that the U.S. side's insistence on limiting relief to passenger and light vehicles meant "we never had that deal."

She emphasized that "every note and every document" sent to the U.S. made clear the demand was for tariff relief on "all of the autos that Canada produces, as well as auto parts." Charette recounted that she had to repeatedly state "and medium and heavy" when the U.S. attempted to limit the scope.

However, U.S. officials insisted that Canada tried to "pull a fast one" by requesting the carve-out for trucks at the last minute. Canadian auto industry officials have expressed skepticism about this narrative, with one stating it's "hard to believe" that Charette, known for her expertise, would make such a late request. Another industry official called the story "laughable," given Charette's thorough understanding of the brief and Canada's production of medium and heavy-duty trucks.