President Donald Trump gave Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, a frosty welcome to the White House on Tuesday, saying on social media just before his arrival that the United States doesn’t need “ANYTHING” from its northern neighbour.
The new Canadian prime minister hopes to ease tensions in the trade war, which has created economic uncertainty on both sides of the border.
Trump has shattered a decades-old alliance by saying he wants to make Canada the 51st U.S. state and levying steep tariffs against an essential partner in the manufacturing of autos and the supply of oil, electricity and other goods. The outrage provoked by Trump enabled Carney’s Liberal Party to score a stunning comeback victory last month, as the ongoing trade war and attacks on Canadian sovereignty have outraged voters.
Meanwhile, Trump told reporters he wasn’t quite sure why Carney was visiting.
“I look forward to meeting the new Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney. I very much want to work with him, but cannot understand one simple TRUTH — Why is America subsidizing Canada by $200 Billion Dollars a year, in addition to giving them FREE Military Protection, and many other things?” Trump wrote on social media.
“We don’t need their Cars, we don’t need their Energy, we don’t need their Lumber, we don’t need ANYTHING they have, other than their friendship, which hopefully we will always maintain. They, on the other hand, need EVERYTHING from us! The Prime Minister will be arriving shortly, and that will be, most likely, my only question of consequence.”
The meeting got underway at noon ET on Tuesday.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick further stoked doubts about their interest in repairing the relationship with Canada in a Monday interview on Fox Business Network’s “Kudlow” show.
Asked if the U.S. could make a deal with Canada, Lutnick called the country a “socialist regime” that has been “basically feeding off America.” Lutnick said Tuesday’s meeting would be “fascinating.”
