In his first official visit to Washington, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney firmly dismissed US President Donald Trump’s repeated remarks about annexing Canada, declaring during their meeting: “Canada is not for sale.”
Welcoming Carney after his recent election win, Trump said: “I think Canada chose a very talented person. I think we have a lot of things in common. We have some tough, tough points to go over, and that will be fine.”
That goodwill prefaced a potentially tense encounter. Trump’s renewed calls for making Canada the 51st state and the ongoing trade disputes between the two countries meant the meeting had the potential to turn contentious - like his earlier clash with Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy.
Seated with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio nearby, Carney remained composed as Trump mused once again about a US-Canada union.
“It would really be a wonderful marriage,” Trump said. “They like each other a lot... It takes two to tango, right?”
Trump continued, insisting that once-unthinkable ideas can become reality: “I’ve had many things people said weren’t doable, and they ended up being doable. If it’s to everybody’s benefit… we’ll see what happens.”
Carney, who campaigned on defending Canadian sovereignty, didn’t hesitate to dismiss the notion. “Canada is not for sale,” he said. “It won’t be for sale - ever. The opportunity lies in partnership, in what we can build together.”
Back in Canada, many saw Trump’s remarks as a step too far, with some questioning whether the US president had crossed a diplomatic line.
Despite the awkwardness, Carney knows the importance of maintaining trade relations with the US, Canada’s largest economic partner - even if Trump’s rhetoric tests the relationship. A seasoned former central banker, Carney witnessed first-hand the effects of Brexit and remains focused on pragmatism over posturing.
The atmosphere cooled further as Trump took shots at Carney’s predecessor, Justin Trudeau, and implicitly criticized former trade and finance minister Chrystia Freeland. “She was a terrible person, and she really hurt that deal,” Trump said, referencing the earlier Canada-US-Mexico trade negotiations.
He also complained about what he sees as an imbalanced trade relationship: “Canada has a surplus with us, and there’s no reason for us to be subsidizing Canada. Canada will have to take care of itself economically.”
Carney, speaking to reporters later from the Canadian Embassy rooftop, said he saw the meeting as a potential reset after a strained period under Trudeau. “I feel better about the relations,” he noted. “But we have a lot more work to do.”
He added that he had clearly told Trump—both publicly and privately—to stop calling Canada the 51st state. When asked how he reacted to Trump’s remark about the US-Canada border being “an artificially drawn line… like, with a ruler,” Carney offered only a small smile: “I’m glad you couldn’t tell what was going through my mind.”
The U.S. Federal Reserve kept its benchmark federal funds rate unchanged on Wednesday, maintaining the target range at 4.25% to 4.50%, in a widely expected move as the central bank navigates a complex economic environment marked by slowing inflation, global trade tensions, and political pressure.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hailed what he called a “great victory” for the nation’s armed forces on Wednesday, following what officials described as a major air incursion attempt by the Indian Air Force.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh has said that Iran is intending to develop its ties with neighboring Azerbaijan beyond bilateral relations by tapping the capacity of regional collaboration.
The United States has quietly approved a Qatari initiative to finance salaries for Syrian public-sector workers, marking a significant shift in Western engagement with post-Assad Syria, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for an immediate end to the escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan, saying he “hopes they can stop now” after a series of deadly cross‑border strikes.
The U.S. Federal Reserve kept its benchmark federal funds rate unchanged on Wednesday, maintaining the target range at 4.25% to 4.50%, in a widely expected move as the central bank navigates a complex economic environment marked by slowing inflation, global trade tensions, and political pressure.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that an announcement related to the Gaza Strip is likely within the next 24 hours, signaling potential developments in the U.S. approach to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.
A Rafale fighter jet operated by the Indian Air Force has reportedly been shot down for the first time in combat, according to sources cited by CNN, marking a significant and symbolic development in the ongoing escalation between India and Pakistan.
India has fired a series of missiles into Pakistani-controlled territory, in what it has described as “Operation Sindoor”
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New Tesla registrations in Denmark collapsed 67 % in April to 180 vehicles, industry data showed Thursday, underscoring a sharp demand drop for the EV maker in one of its once-strong European markets.
Chinese e-commerce platform Temu has announced it will no longer sell goods directly from China to U.S. customers, shifting instead to U.S.-based sellers amid the closure of a long-criticized customs loophole.
The European Union is expected to announce new tariff counter-measures on Thursday targeting U.S. aerospace exports, including Boeing jets, in response to escalating trade tensions with Washington.
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow on Wednesday for a closely watched visit that underscores Beijing’s growing strategic alignment with Russia.
As part of his official visit to Iraq, Azerbaijani FM Jeyhun Bayramov met on Wednesday with Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, Speaker of the Council of Representatives of Iraq, for wide-ranging discussions on bilateral relations, regional security, and post-conflict development efforts in Azerbaijan.
The United States has quietly approved a Qatari initiative to finance salaries for Syrian public-sector workers, marking a significant shift in Western engagement with post-Assad Syria, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for an immediate end to the escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan, saying he “hopes they can stop now” after a series of deadly cross‑border strikes.
The United States has quietly approved a Qatari initiative to finance salaries for Syrian public-sector workers, marking a significant shift in Western engagement with post-Assad Syria, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday called for an immediate end to the escalating hostilities between India and Pakistan, saying he “hopes they can stop now” after a series of deadly cross‑border strikes.
The U.S. Federal Reserve kept its benchmark federal funds rate unchanged on Wednesday, maintaining the target range at 4.25% to 4.50%, in a widely expected move as the central bank navigates a complex economic environment marked by slowing inflation, global trade tensions, and political pressure.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that an announcement related to the Gaza Strip is likely within the next 24 hours, signaling potential developments in the U.S. approach to the worsening humanitarian crisis in the besieged enclave.
A Rafale fighter jet operated by the Indian Air Force has reportedly been shot down for the first time in combat, according to sources cited by CNN, marking a significant and symbolic development in the ongoing escalation between India and Pakistan.
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