President Donald Trump hosted Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House today following months of tensions between the neighboring countries over tariffs.
Trump repeated his desire for Canada to become a US state, while taking questions from reporters in the Oval Office, to which Carney swiftly declined and said, “It won’t be for sale, ever.” Carney went on to say that the opportunity is “in the partnership and what we can build together and we have done that in past.”
Trump agreed that Canada is stepping up their military participation, but then he circled back to the country becoming a US state and quipped: “Never say never.”
Here’s what else Trump and Carney spoke about:
- Tariffs and trade deals: The president’s trade talks with Carney got off to a rocky start after Trump signaled there will be no tariff deal. A reporter asked Trump if the Canadian leader could do anything to change his mind over the course of the day’s meetings. “No,” Trump said. The president later said that his administration “could sign 25 deals right now” on trade, expressing frustration over media coverage on the lack of announced trade agreements.
- USMCA agreement: The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement that Trump inked during his first term is set to expire next year. However, the US president said he’s not exactly looking to extend the free trade agreement.
- Meeting with China: Trump said that officials from China “want to meet” on trade and reaffirmed that the two countries will have talks “at the right time.”
- Houthis: Trump announced that the US would “stop the bombings” against the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group in Yemen, after the Houthis told the US that “they don’t want to fight anymore.” An Israeli official told CNN that the United States did not inform Israel about its de facto truce ahead of Trump’s announcement.
- Trump attacks Obama and California governor: Trump criticized former President Barack Obama’s effort to build a presidential center in Chicago, calling it a “disaster,” without evidence. Trump also slammed the cost of a high-speed rail project in California, attacking Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom for spending so much money on it.
