Carney warns Trump upon arriving at the White House that “Canada is not for sale” and he responds: “Never say never”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney assured US President Donald Trump on Tuesday that “Canada is not for sale.”

In their first meeting at the White House and in a relaxed atmosphere, the Republican responded to Carney’s words with “never say never” y “I love Canada”, in addition to pointing out at another time that his preference would be for Canada to become the 51st state of the United States.

Both leaders held their first face-to-face meeting this Tuesday in Washington to begin negotiations that eliminate tariffs imposed by the United States to its northern neighbor and establish a new bilateral relationship.

During his meeting with the cameras, Trump stated that if his proposal for his northern neighbor to become the 51st state of the United States to be carried out would have ‘impressive benefits’ for Canadians, as “lower taxes.”

“It would be a wonderful marriage because they are two places that get along very well,” Trump insisted, to which Carney responded by alluding to Trump’s past as a real estate developer. “As you know from the real estate market, there are some places that are never for sale. We’re sitting on one of those right now. And the Buckingham Palace that you visited too,” explained the Canadian Prime Minister. “It’s true,” Trump replied.

Trump, whose tariff policy has rattled global markets, said he and Carney would discuss “difficult points,” an allusion to the Republican’s belief that The United States can do without Canadian products. “No matter what happens, we are going to be friends of Canada,” he said.

In fact, shortly before the meeting, Trump wrote a post on his Truth Social social network in which he expressed this conviction. “We don’t need your cars, your energy, your wood, nor anything they have, except their friendship, which I hope we will always maintain. They, on the other hand, need everything from us!” he stressed, while wondering “why the United States subsidizes Canada with $200 billion a year, in addition to providing them with free military protection and many other things.”

Carney, a 60-year-old former central banker with no previous political experience, was elected leader of the Liberal Party last March to replace Justin Trudeau. The formation of Carney won the elections on April 28 with the promise to confront Trump and his tariff policy in addition to building a new bilateral economic and security relationship with the United States.

Canada is the second largest trading partner of the United Statesafter Mexico, and the largest export market for American products. Last year, more than $760 billion in goods were exchanged between the two countries.

In March, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports and then applied another 25% on automobiles and spare parts that did not comply with the North American free trade agreement.

Last Sunday, Trump said he would impose a 100% tariff on all films produced outside the United States, without giving details, in a potential blow to Canada’s film industry.