Canada is not for sale: Carney to Trump
3 Min Read
Canadian PM Mark Carney meets Trump at the White House, rebuffs annexation talk, and urges tariff relief amid tense Canada-US relations.
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US President Donald Trump meets Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office of the White House, on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Washington. (AP)
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with US President Donald Trump and delivered a firm message, asserting that Canada is not for sale.
During his visit to the White House on Tuesday, Carney and Trump discussed a wide range of topics, including Canada’s sovereignty, defense, trade, and tariffs, keeping the conversation focused and diplomatic while deliberately avoiding any signs of tension or conflict.
Carney’s position stood in clear contrast to Trump’s repeated claims about wanting to annex Canada and turn it into the 51st state, though both leaders maintained a friendly tone throughout their meeting, especially when Carney, with a calm but firm delivery, told Trump that some places are never for sale.
“Never say never, never say never,” Trump responded.
Despite Carney’s request to lift tariffs on Canadian goods, President Trump flatly refused, repeating his stance that Canada had nothing the US wanted, while Carney, undeterred by the rejection, pointed to the upcoming update of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement as a potential foundation for broader negotiations moving forward.
“I think we established a good basis today,” Carney told reporters during a press conference at the Canadian Embassy after he met with Trump, "Really, today marked the end of the beginning of a process of the United States and Canada redefining that relationship. The question is how we will co-operate in the future.”
The new prime minister of Canada won the Canadian elections on April 29, granting his Liberal party a new term amid rising tensions fueled by Donald Trump's stance on Canada.
Carney to lead the way in Canada in the Trump era
Carney, having taken over from Justin Trudeau only a month earlier, centered his campaign on a strong anti-Trump message, aiming to connect with Canadians worried about Canada-US relations and the ongoing threats of a trade war from the American president.
Previously serving as central bank governor in both Britain and Canada, Carney positioned himself as a capable leader ready to navigate the country through a complex mix of economic pressures and geopolitical tensions.
Carney's sharp depiction of Trump resonated with voters; "Donald Trump wants to break us so America can own us," he said during the campaign.
"They want our resources, they want our water, they want our land, they want our country. They can't have it," Carney strongly emphasized
During a campaign stop in Victoria, British Columbia, on April 23, Carney described the Canada-US tensions as "the biggest crisis of our lifetimes," highlighting that Trump is attacking Canada, "America's closest ally, America's closest partner."
