During a bilateral meeting at the White House on Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump and visiting Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney engaged in what observers described as a session of "polite crossfire" over contentious issues including tariffs and Trump's provocative notion of making Canada the 51st U.S. state.
On the subject of trade, Carney reminded Trump that Canada is America's largest customer. Trump, however, dismissed the significance of Canadian goods, stating that "the U.S. doesn't need Canadian cars or steel", and that "there's no reason America should be subsidizing Canada."
When the idea of Canada becoming a U.S. state was raised, Trump called it a "wonderful marriage" and reiterated his view that such a union would benefit Canadians through lower taxes and enhanced benefits. Carney, however, replied firmly: "Canada is not for sale". Trump countered with a wry warning: "Never say never."
The moment was captured on video, with Carney smiling to the camera and appearing to mouth the words: "Never, ever." American media noted that Carney's composed and witty response seemed to win Trump's favor.
Analysts observed that Carney adopted a "soft-but-firm" approach during the meeting—assertively defending Canada's sovereignty while also offering praise for Trump's leadership, calling it "transformational." This appeared to ease tensions and avoid open confrontation, though no progress was made on resolving the ongoing trade impasse.
Speaking to reporters afterward, Carney revealed he had tried to steer Trump away from the 51st state rhetoric. "He's the President—he's entitled to his views," Carney said, adding that "there's a difference between wishful thinking and reality."
Trump, for his part, showed no signs of backing down on tariffs. When asked whether Carney could do anything to persuade him to lift the tariffs, Trump replied bluntly: "No." He added, "We actually don't want Canadian cars, or Canadian steel and aluminum."
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