Trump Tells Canada PM ‘Never Say Never’ About Becoming 51st State
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – U.S. President Donald J. Trump advised the new Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, to “never say never” about his nation becoming the 51st state of the United States in a closely watched encounter at the White House.
The remarks came moments after Carney told the real-estate-tycoon-turned-president that Canada was “not for sale.”
Yet their much-anticipated summit remained less hostile than expected, noticed The New York Times. “When the new Canadian prime minister arrived at the Oval Office on Tuesday morning to meet with the American president, he appeared to be walking into a lion’s den. But it turned out to be a house cat he found there,” the newspaper commented.
It contrasted with Trump’s perceived hostile rhetoric over recent months, as his tariffs policies turned into a trade war against his northern neighbor.
Trump had also condemned Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau, and threatened to crush Canada’s economy to make the nation part of the U.S.
Yet on Tuesday in the Oval Office, Trump praised Carney – whose Liberal party won the federal election last week. Trump called Carney’s party victory “one of the “greatest political comebacks of all time” and described the prime minister’s visit as “an honor” for the White House.
Carney returned the praise, telling Trump he was a “transformational president” who focused strongly on the economy.
NO 51st STATE?
But he shot down any idea that Canada might accede to joining the US as the 51st state – a proposal again floated by Trump in the meeting.
“As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale,” Carney told Trump.
“That’s true,” said Trump.
“Having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign … it’s not for sale,” said Carney. “Won’t be for sale, ever.”
“Never say never,” Trump said. Carney smiled and mouthed, “Never, never, never, never.”
Trump also expressed his love for Canada, saying, “Canada is a very special place to me. I know so many people who live in Canada. My parents had relatives who lived in Canada, my mother in particular.” He added, “I love Canada.”
It was a different tone from the one he had used just moments earlier in a post on his Truth Social media platform when he blasted Canadians as a bunch of freeloaders who couldn’t survive without the United States.
200 BILLION
The U.S. is “subsidizing Canada by $200 Billion Dollars a year, in addition to giving them FREE Military Protection,” Trump wrote despite experts debunking that figure.
“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, other than their friendship, which hopefully we will always maintain,” he stressed.
“They, on the other hand, need EVERYTHING from us! The Prime Minister will be arriving shortly and that will be, most likely, my only question of consequence,” Trump said.
While they agreed to disagree, the two leaders appeared hopeful that a solution would overcome the Canada-U.S. standoff over trade.
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