Tuesday's meeting between the president of United States and the Prime Minister of Canada should have been a mere formality between two neighbors, historical partners, and allies, but nothing in President Donald Trump's presidency is normal. There were high expectations, much tension, and maximum pressure, especially after Trump launched an inexplicable campaign in November advocating for the annexation of Canada, a delirious project to turn a sovereign, rich, proud, and independent nation into its "51st state." In six months, Canada has stood up to the challenge, ousted one prime minister, and elevated another based on one idea: resistance against Washington. In six months, the United States has insulted, offended, threatened, and imposed tariffs. Therefore, this meeting, considering the precedents with other world leaders, was more than important. And miraculously, it turned out reasonably well for diplomacy, after coming close to disaster on several occasions.
Trump welcomed Mark Carney with an attitude diametrically opposed to the one he had towards his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, whom he despised and insulted. He praised and congratulated Carney on his victory in the elections a week ago, "a historic comeback, one of the greatest in politics, perhaps even greater than mine," he joked, adding that Carney was a great leader and Canada a "great country, a very special place." The Canadian leader also responded in conciliatory terms, applauding "President Trump's leadership" even on sensitive issues like the war on fentanyl. But the honeymoon was short-lived.
Practically, everything boiled down to one question: what would happen when the elephant in the room, the idea of a grand annexation, was addressed? The answer came quickly. Trump, responding to a journalist, insisted that it would be best for everyone if Canada joined the United States, "which would bring tax cuts for Canadians and much more security," and reiterated his usual string of arguments. So, the ball was in Carney's court, who responded cautiously. "Mr. President, as you know from your experience in real estate, there are places that will never be for sale. We are in one right now, the White House. Buckingham Palace, which you are familiar with, is another. After meeting with the owners of Canada during the last months of the campaign, I can tell you that the country is not for sale. It will never be for sale. Our great opportunity lies in collaboration and what we can build together," he stated.
It was a firm statement, but with a tone and a dialoguing attitude aimed at not irritating or provoking a reaction. "We have collaborated in the past, and part of that, as the president just mentioned, relates to our own security, and my government is committed to a radical change in our investment in Canadian security and our collaboration. And I will also say that the president has revitalized international security, has revitalized NATO," Carney said, thanking for the hospitality and applauding "President Trump's leadership," who seemed to accept the response well. When another journalist asked if Carney's statement would make trade negotiations more difficult, the American said no, but not without throwing a veiled jab at his neighbor. "Never say never," he repeated several times, still thinking about his acquisition dream.
But from there, things started to become more uncomfortable, with the feeling that it could explode at any moment. There were no tensions between the two leaders, but several moments where the match was close to the fire. Trump, who started off conciliatory, became irritated in some general responses, getting angry, disparaging his neighbor's economy, insisting that they are tired of "subsidizing them".
For Carney, it was much more than a first contact. His electoral campaign has been based on resistance and opposition to Trump and his intentions. Defending the country's sovereignty and warning his fellow citizens that the world they have lived in for the past eight decades no longer exists. That the centuries-old relationship with the United States no longer exists. That the global financial and economic system, with Washington at its center and on its side, is a thing of the past. The Prime Minister, who barely spoke two or three times during the appearance, despite attempting unsuccessfully to do so at other times, reiterated that the idea of the "51st state" was absurd, but refrained from delving into details when Trump insisted that a good economic relationship is vital for their neighbors but almost irrelevant for the United States. "We have a tremendous deficit, they have a surplus, so there is no reason to continue subsidizing them. Trudeau, whom I called 'governor,' told me that tariffs would be the end of Canada," Trump boasted.
In the final minutes of the appearance, after a little over half an hour, the tension reached its peak. The optimistic choreography was on the verge of falling apart, and only Trump's abrupt decision to end it prevented a tragedy. Carney, trying in vain to intervene, found himself forced to defend his country. And the president, at home, with his team, was losing patience without anyone having actually done anything to provoke it. Attacking free trade agreements, both NAFTA and the one he himself pushed in his first term. The tone was starting to resemble too much the one that led to the incident with Volodymyr Zelensky, and the White House itself was aware.
"This will take time and discussions, and that's why we're here, to have them," the president said about trade negotiations. "But this is very friendly. We're not going to... this won't be like if we had another little skirmish with someone else, this is very different. This is a very friendly conversation, but we want to make our own cars. We really don't want cars from Canada, and we impose tariffs on them, and at some point, it will no longer make economic sense for Canada to manufacture them. And we don't want steel from Canada because we are making our own steel, or we are building huge steel plants right now. We really don't want Canadian steel, or aluminum, or other things because we want to make them ourselves. And due to, you know, an outdated mindset, we have a huge deficit with Canada. In other words, they have a surplus with us, and there is no reason for us to subsidize Canada," he concluded before the meeting derailed before it even began.
It was a highly anticipated meeting that came just a week after Carney achieved a historic victory in his country's elections, reviving his Liberal party, which just a few months earlier led the polls by over 25 points. Carney, a former governor of the central banks of Canada and England, formally entered politics this year, and if he clearly defeated his conservative rivals, it was almost exclusively because of Trump. Due to his brutal attacks, threats, disdain, and because citizens perceived that the conservative leader did not distance himself enough.
Minutes before the meeting, however, Trump toned down his rhetoric, at least publicly, posting a message on social media about his northern neighbors. Much less aggressive and derogatory than usual, but still not very hopeful. "I look forward to meeting the new Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney. I am eager to work with him, but I don't understand a simple TRUTH: Why does the United States subsidize Canada with $200 billion a year, in addition to providing them with free military protection and many other things? We don't need their cars, we don't need their energy, we don't need their lumber, we don't need anything they have, except their friendship, which I hope we always maintain. They, on the other hand, need EVERYTHING from us! The Prime Minister will arrive soon, and that will probably be my only important question," he warned.
Something similar was done the day before, on late-night television programs, by the Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick. "It's very complex, very complex," he said about the possibility of reaching an agreement on tariffs. "Basically, they have been feeding off us for decades and decades. They have their socialist regime and feed off the United States... Why do we make our cars there? Why do we shoot our movies in Canada? Come on!... It's going to be a fascinating encounter."