Canadian Prime Minister Mark Kearney had one important goal at a high stakes meeting with President Trump on Tuesday. He didn’t have to say in uncertain terms that Canada would not become the 51st US province, avoiding the public fight.
And he succeeded.
“As we know from real estate, there are some places that are not for sale,” Carney said strictly. “It’s not for sale. It’s not for sale,” he added.
“Never say it,” Trump replied. But the effectiveness of the moment has been softened, and Trump was clearly not interested in fighting Carney, who praised his stunning election victory a few days ago.
His relationships with neighbors, allies and top trading partners have been in historic lows since Trump’s reelection, due to his decision to impose tariffs on Canadian goods and his constant reserve to make Canada a part of the United States.
Just an hour before Kearney arrived at the White House, Trump dropped him off in Canada with a belligerent post about the true society, repeating his frequent criticism of the country being too dependent on the United States.
“We don’t need anything other than their friendship. “On the other hand, they need everything from us!”
But Trump hit a much more reconciliatory tone after the two leaders sat in an oval office. Trump congratulated Carney on the election and praised his campaign as “one of the biggest comebacks in political history.” (He did not mention that Mr. Carney won on the anti-Trump platform).
“We have some tough points, and that’s going to be fine,” Trump said.
I haven’t got a Zelensky-Ed
As the public part approached its conclusion, Trump contrasted the meeting with the disastrous meeting that Carney struggled to replicate. This is an oval office meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February.
“We had another little explosion with someone else,” Trump said. “It was quite different. This is a very friendly conversation.”
During the course of a 30-minute meeting in front of the camera, Carney spoke only three times after delivering his opening remarks. Trump dominated airtime and had mainly off-topic comments. For example, he criticized President Barack Obama for delays in building presidential libraries and ground-based criticism of Obama’s preference for employment diversity. He also attacked California’s government’s Gavin Newsom over the state’s high-speed rail project, calling it “the worst cost overrun I’ve ever seen.”
He also teased “a very big announcement,” but he refused to provide details beyond getting it done in the next few days. Mr. Carney had the opportunity to use humor to improve his mood. He improved on what he does often. “President, I’m on the edge of my seat,” he said with a smile.
Trump also announced that the US will halt bombing Yemeni Hooty militia. The group said they didn’t want to fight anymore. (Omani Foreign Minister later posted on social media that the country mediated a ceasefire between the Housis and the United States.)
Fluffy and preparation
Carney’s ability to survive his first public interaction with Trump relatively unharmed has learned lessons from the intense preparations that Kearney has known since his central banking days, as well as from previous meetings with Trump’s foreign leaders.
He started by praising Trump.
“You’re a transformative president, you’re focused on the economy, you’re relentlessly focusing on American workers, security and borders, ending the tragedy of fentanyl and other opioids and securing the world,” Carney said.
He then cautioned to choose the moment to fulfill his responsibility for Trump’s 51st state lecture, and when he did so, he spoke firmly but actively spoke.
Kearney also escaped intervention from Trump’s top officials.
Vice President J.D. Vice President Vance and other American officials remained very quiet during the meeting, unlike the controversial encounter with Zelensky, where Vance denounced the Ukrainian leader.
And the Canadian Prime Minister clearly benefited from Trump’s high praise for his predecessor, Justin Trudeau. Trump and Trudeau were left out of the public in 2018, and relations never recovered. Trump’s enduring animus for Trudeau will be on display again Tuesday, with Trump calling him “Governor Trudeau.”
There are no breakthroughs
After the opening in the oval office, Trump and Carney had a private lunch adjacent to some of the top advisors and ministers. It had no hope of a breakthrough at Tuesday’s meeting, but it’s most likely that there will be a substantial conversation about the future of relations between the two countries.
Canada and the US, together with Mexico, share a free trade agreement that is now in ruins. Trump said trade with Canada would overly like Canada and hurt the United States.
Carney said the discussion between the two will take time and expand far beyond trade issues as it includes other areas such as security and defense.
Despite Carney’s intention to hold substantial consultations during the luncheon, Trump made it clear he has not changed his mind to tariffs with Canada.
The US applies a 25% tariff on Canadian goods that are not covered by a tripartite free trade agreement between both countries and Mexico, exports of steel and aluminum, and 10% tariffs on energy and potassium exports. Many important items such as auto parts are exempt, but tariffs are still having a major impact on the Canadian economy.
Canada retaliated by imposing its own tariffs on American goods.
Trump told reporters he didn’t think Tuesday’s talks would lead to policy changes.
