Trump live: Carney reiterated Canada ‘is not for sale’ during ‘constructive discussion’ with president
Canadian prime minister’s Oval Office test comes a week after being elected on an anti-Trump platform
President Donald Trump and newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney came face-to-face at the White House on Tuesday for a high-stakes meeting.
Just days after winning an election campaign with an aggressive focus on Trump, Carney said he would make a bid for a comprehensive deal on trade and national security, while hoping to reset frayed U.S.-Canada relations.
Trump, meanwhile, played the upper hand, claiming the U.S. doesn’t need ‘anything’ from Canada except ‘friendship,’ but Canada needs ‘everything’ from the U.S.
The high-stakes meeting between the two leaders is set against the backdrop of Trump’s repeated threats to annex Canada and the imposition of sweeping 25 percent tariffs.
During their Oval Office meeting, Trump once again said he would like to see Canada become the 51st state.
But, Carney pushed back, saying Canada is “not for sale” and “won’t be for sale, ever.” He reiterated that Canadians will never change their mind about joining the U.S.
“Never say never,” Trump responded.
Carney mouthed the words “never” to the press.
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Trump jokes he's the 'greatest thing' to happen to Carney
President Donald Trump started the bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney joking that he is “probably the greatest thing that happened to him.”
After congratulating Carney on his recent win, Trump acknowledged that his recent aggressive behavior toward Canada helped Carney’s party, the Liberals, make a comeback.
The Conservative Party of Canada was almost 23 points ahead of the Liberals in the polls in January.
“I think I was probably the greatest thing that happened to him,” Trump joked.
Carney responded with a funny look to reporters.
The president called Carney’s win “one of the greatest comebacks in the history of politics,” including his own.
'Canada is not for sale': Carney shuts down 51st state rumors
After Trump again floated the idea of making Canada the 51st State of the U.S., Carney quickly shut down any possibility, saying, “Canada is not for sale” and “won’t be for sale, ever.”
The U.S. president once again floated the plan during the bilateral meeting, saying the possibility of merging the two countries would create a “wonderful marriage.”
But Carney quickly stepped in to say that would never happen.
“Never say never,” Trump replied.
Carney smiled and mouthed “never.”
Over the last few months, Trump has consistently teased the U.S.’s northern neighbor that the U.S. will take it over. That behavior pushed Canadians toward a more nationalist feeling, ultimately helping Carney win the election.
Trump says Houthis have ‘capitulated’ after air strikes
President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday the U.S. would call off airstrikes against Yemen’s Houthis, saying they had “capitulated.
“We will stop the bombings. They have capitulated but more importantly, we will take their word,” Trump said at the start of the meeting with Carney.
The Trump administration had been launching strikes against Houthi rebels who have targeted U.S. ships.
“I think that’s very positive. They were knocking out a lot of ships,” Trump said.
Trump ends bilateral meeting with Carney with criticism of US–Canada trade
As he did with much of the bilateral meeting, Trump did not give Carney a chance to respond to a statement that he posed earlier today on Truth Social about the U.S. and Canada’s trade relationship before ending the meeting.
“Why are we subsidizing Canada $200 billion a year, or whatever the number might be – it’s a very substantial number. It’s hard for the American taxpayer to say ‘gee wiz,’ we love doing that,” Trump said before ushering media out of the Oval Office.
Carney, who appeared ready to respond to Trump’s comment, did not get the chance to answer.
It was a similar statement to that Trump made earlier in the day on Truth Social, just moments before meeting with Carney.
The president has consistently called the trade deficit between Canada and the U.S. “unfair” and believes Canada should invest more in the U.S. As a punishment, Trump has implemented tariffs on the U.S.’s northern neighbor and largest trading partner.
Throughout the meeting, Trump ranted about tariffs and Canada but jumped from point to point, refusing to give Carney much time to interject.
Trump refuses to drop ‘51st state’ threat in Oval Office meeting with Carney as Canada PM says ‘never’
President Donald Trump is continuing to suggest that Canada could divest itself of its own sovereignty and join the United States as the 51st American state over the continued objections of Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney.
Read more from Andrew Feinberg:
Trump refuses to drop ‘51st state’ threat in meeting with Canadian PM
Federal judge blocks the government from removing immigrants under Alien Enemies Act
Another federal judge has struck down Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act and is granting a preliminary injunction to block the government from removing immigrants under the president’s use of the law.
Clinton-appointed New York Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein says alleged Tren de Aragua gang members targeted by the law — who were sent to a “notoriously evil jail” — cannot be removed from the country “except after notice and hearing,” per the Supreme Court’s recent ruling and the Alien Enemies Act’s own language.
Hellerstein is the latest judge to block the president from using the law in, after Trump-appointed Texas judge Fernando Rodriguez ruled last week that the government’s use of the 18th century law is “unlawful.”
Trump’s nominee for US Attorney in DC is in hot water
Ed Martin, the president’s nominee to lead the US Attorney’s Office in D.C., is in hot water after Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said he would not support the nomination amid a slew of reports revealing Martin’s proximity to January 6 defendants, Russian media outlets and more.
“I’ve indicated to the White House I wouldn’t support his nomination,” Tillis said Tuesday after meeting with Martin on Monday night.
Martin, who was involved in Trump’s Stop the Steal movement in 2020, had encouraged supporters to work to “stop the steal” until their “last breath” on January 5, 2021. Since becoming interim head of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he has also opened an investigation into the office’s handling of January 6 cases and prosecutors who worked on the cases.
“Mr. Martin did a good job of explaining the one area that I think he’s probably right, that there were some people that were over prosecuted, but there were some, 2 or 300 of them that should have never gotten a pardon. And he agreed with that, but the disagreement there had more to do. Martin has opened an investigation into the office’s handling of January 6 cases and prosecutors who worked on the cases,” Tillis told NBC News.
More than 100 former federal prosecutors who worked in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C. signed a letter expressing concerns over Martin, who they believe is “unworthy of the position, incapable of the task, and an affront to the singular pursuit of justice.
Travelers without Real ID can fly, Secretary of Homeland Security says
U.S. travelers have until Wednesday to get their Real ID – the new identification card that allows people to fly domestically or visit federal buildings.
But Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security, said on Tuesday, travelers who do not have it by Wednesday will still be permitted to fly.
“We will make sure it's as seamless as possible,” Noem said.
A TSA Spokesperson told Axios that approximately 81 percent of passengers already have a Real ID or other acceptable forms.
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