Trump Tells Canada ‘We Just Want to Be Friends’ as PM Carney Rejects 51st State Idea

Report by Safarti Tarjuman International Desk

U.S. President Donald Trump told Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that he “just wants to be friends” during their first official meeting since Carney’s election victory, while the Canadian leader firmly rejected the idea of Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state. The two leaders met at the White House in what was described as one of the most closely watched summits in Canadian history. Trump praised Carney’s political comeback as one of the greatest ever, while Carney, though complimentary of Trump’s focus on economic transformation, drew a hard line on sovereignty.

Prime Minister Carney dismissed the proposal of annexation by stating, “There are some places that are never for sale. Canada won’t be for sale—ever.” Trump replied, “Never say never,” but Carney repeated his stance, mouthing “never” multiple times with a smile. Carney has made defending Canadian independence a key part of his leadership, having repeatedly warned against Trump’s attempts to “break” Canada for political gain.

Ahead of the meeting, Trump reignited tension by claiming on social media that the U.S. is subsidizing Canada by $200 billion annually, while also providing “free military protection.” He wrote that the U.S. doesn’t need Canada’s resources but values its friendship. During the summit, Trump again criticized past trade deals like NAFTA, calling it “the worst in the history of the world,” and expressed his intent to renegotiate elements of the USMCA. When asked if Carney could say anything to lift tariffs, Trump responded bluntly, “No.”

Carney acknowledged the USMCA as a workable framework for future negotiations, but pushed back on the use of tariffs and trade pressure. He called the discussions with Trump “very constructive” and confirmed the two will meet again at the upcoming G7 summit in Canada. He also revealed he had asked Trump to stop referring to Canada as part of the United States, a request the U.S. president seemed unlikely to follow.

The Canadian delegation included Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, International Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty, and Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman. Trump was joined by Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.