Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he asked US President Donald Trump to stop referring to Canada as the 51st state during their first official meeting at the White House on Tuesday.
Trump has repeatedly suggested the idea of acquiring Canada and called the US-Canada border “artificial.” During their meeting in the Oval Office, Trump again shared this view, saying a union between the two countries would be a “wonderful marriage” with “tremendous” benefits.
“When you get rid of that artificially drawn line… when you look at that beautiful formation when it’s together, I’m a very artistic person,” Trump said, referencing his background in real estate development.
Carney interrupted, saying that “there are some places that are never for sale,” comparing Canada to the Oval Office and Buckingham Palace.
“Having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign the last several months, it’s not for sale, it won’t be for sale, ever,” the Prime Minister stated, while emphasizing that both countries could still work on a strong partnership.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Carney confirmed he asked Trump to stop using the term “51st state” and called such remarks “not useful.” He also acknowledged, “he’s the US president—he’ll say what he wants to say.”
The meeting came shortly after Carney’s election victory, which secured a fourth consecutive term for his Liberal Party. Much of his campaign was built around opposing Trump’s tariffs and push to acquire Canada.
At the beginning of the meeting, Trump congratulated Carney and joked, “I think I was probably the greatest thing that happened to him.”
Despite the tension over trade, with Trump insisting that tariffs would remain in place no matter what Carney said, both sides described the talks as positive overall.
“Regardless of anything, we’re going to be friends with Canada,” Trump told reporters.
Carney described the talks as “wide-ranging” and “very constructive,” adding that trade negotiations would continue, including at the upcoming G7 summit in Alberta.
