Donald Trump has reignited the prospect of Canada becoming the 51st US state after telling Mark Carney: “Never say never.”
Canada’s newly-elected prime minister reiterated his nation is “not for sale” during crunch talks with the US president at the White House.
The two leaders met for the first time in the Oval office on Tuesday in a bid to reset relations after Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on Canada to protect American businesses.
Meanwhile, Mr Carney — whose Liberal Party won Canada's federal election last week on an anti-Trump platform — declared his country's old relationship with the United States as "over".
Mr Carney told Trump: “As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale... We’re sitting in one right now... and having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign the last several months, it’s not for sale.”
When questioned on President Trump's remarks that Canada could be the 51st US State, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says 'some places are never for sale'.
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But Trump responded: “Time will tell. Never say never. It would really be a wonderful marriage.”
He repeated his assertions that there would be "tremendous benefits to Canadian citizens” were the two countries to merge.
However, struck a friendlier tone when Mr Trump heaped praise on Mr Carney and his recent election win, describing it as "probably one of the greatest comebacks in the history of politics".
During the encounter, Trump reiterated his friendship with Canada and said his face-to-face with Mr Carney was “not going to be like we had another a little blow up with somebody else”, in an apparent reference to his disastrous row with Volodymyr Zelensky in Feburary.
As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale
On trade, Trump insisted his neighbours needed American goods more than the US needed Canadian products.
"We don't do a lot of a business with Canada, they do a lot of business with us," Trump suggested.
This is despite the US government figures showing Canada is the US' third largest source of imports and the largest buyer of American goods.
The US imports nearly $100 billion (£75 billion) more than Canada from them, the official figures show.
Carney, for his part, said the trading arrangements between the US, Mexico and Canada was the "basis for broader negotiation".
Speaking to reporters following the meeting, Mr Carney said he felt better about his country's relations with the United States after his discussions with the US president.
But he didn't see one meeting resolving the issues set off by Trump's tariff hikes.
"I wouldn't have expected white smoke coming out of this meeting," he said.
Asked whether Mr Carney had asked Trump to stop calling Canada the 51st U.S. state, he replied, "Yes, today."
As to whether Trump would stop the rhetoric, Carney said, "I don't know. He's the president. He's his own person."
