The Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, defended this Tuesday that his country is “not for sale” in the long-awaited first meeting at the White House with Donald Trump.
While the President of the United States refused to forget his imperialistic ideas by replying “never say never” to Carney, he also said that “it takes two to tango”.
How was the meeting between Trump and Carney?
The meeting is expected to be a new beginning in bilateral relations following Trump’s public outbursts towards his northern neighbor and the recent elections in Canada, which saw Carney and his Liberal Party emerge victorious.
In fact, Trump’s threats against Canada’s sovereignty and independence were crucial for the victory of the liberals, who before the Republican assumed the presidency of the United States, seemed destined to lose against the conservatives after a political crisis that led to Justin Trudeau’s resignation as prime minister.
Shortly before opening the doors of the White House, the US president has once again questioned on social media the alleged “subsidies” given to Canada and the “free military protection” provided to them. "We don’t need anything they have," he proclaimed on Truth Social, referring to specific issues such as vehicle manufacturing or energy supply.
However, facing Carney and the cameras, Trump has tried to tone down his rhetoric and advocated for maintaining a “friendly” relationship despite possible disagreements. “I want to be friends with Canada,” he said, once again raising the hypothesis of the “51st state” to defend the “many advantages” that such an alliance would bring.
Trump has appealed to his experience in the real estate sector, a glove that Carney has picked up to point out that there are lands that are not for sale. "It is not for sale and it never will be. Never," declared the Canadian leader.
Trump does not back down on tariffs against Canada
Commercial relations largely marked this first meeting between leaders, but Trump had already made it clear to journalists that nothing Carney may say this Tuesday can translate into a revision of the tariff policy. “It is what it is,” he argued.
The future of the trade agreement signed by the United States, Canada, and Mexico during Trump’s first term is also up in the air, and it is set to expire in 2026 if no changes are made. The President of the United States has questioned whether it is even necessary to expand it, despite still arguing that “it is a good deal for everyone.”
According to Carney, it can serve “as a basis for broader negotiation, as ‘some things are going to have to change’.”