The leaders of both Canada and Mexico got on the phone with President Donald Trump this past week to seek solutions after he slapped tariffs on their countries, but China’s president appears unlikely to make a similar call soon.

National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett said in an interview with ABC News' "This Week" that the tariffs are not meant to start a trade war. "What happened was that we launched a drug war, not a trade war, and it was part of the negotiation to get Canada and Mexico to stop shipping fentanyl across our borders," Hassett said.

Donald Trump is threatening to slap a massive 250% tariff on lumber and diary imports from Canada, as tensions continue to rise between the two North American neighbours. The threat comes despite the US President agreeing to expand the number of goods exempted from his new 25% levies on Canada and Mexico introduced last week.

Mark Carney, soon to become Canada's new prime minister, is a two-time central banker and crisis fighter about to face his biggest challenge of all: steering Canada through Donald Trump's tariffs. The Liberals announced Carney as Justin Trudeau's successor on Sunday after party members voted in a nominating contest.

Justin Trudeau, who was first elected prime minister in November 2015, announced on Jan. 6 his intention to resign as Liberal Party leader and prime minister.

Carney, 59, a Harvard grad, will oversee his country at a time when it is locked in a trade war with the United States, its largest trading partner.