Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney made a lighthearted joke as he met US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday.
“I wore red for you,” the Canadian PM told Trump as they shook hands and appeared to exchange brief pleasantries while greeting each other outside the US President’s House.
The meeting comes months after Trump imposed a 35 per cent tariff on imports from Canada from August 1.
During their meeting, Trump struck a friendly tone with Carney, lauding progress towards a trade deal but providing few tangible concessions on high US tariffs.
Trump repeatedly praised “great leader” Carney, who was under pressure at home to show progress following his second visit to the White House since taking office in April.
‘I wore RED for you’ — Canada’s PM Carney buttering up Trump before talks
Reporter asks about Hamas attack anniversary
‘Thank you very much everybody’ pic.twitter.com/vG4JDvk7B2
— RT (@RT_com) October 7, 2025
“I think they’re going to walk away very happy,” news agency AFP quoted Trump as saying, as he sat alongside Carney in the Oval Office. “I think we’ve come a long way over the last few months, actually, in terms of that relationship,” he added.
Trump stated that the North American neighbours — Canada and Mexico — had “natural conflict” over business because their manufacturers competed for the same market, adding that there was “nothing wrong with it”.
Meanwhile, Carney expressed confidence that Canada would “get the right deal” with the United States, its biggest economic partner.
The pair shared a series of lighthearted moments, even laughing as Trump joked about a Canadian “merger” in a reference to his previous calls for Canada to become the 51st US state.
The United States is Canada’s main economic partner, with 75 per cent of Canada’s exports being sold across its southern border.
Trump has already imposed tariffs on lumber, aluminum, steel, and automobiles. On Monday, the US president announced 25 per cent tariffs on all imported heavy trucks starting November 1.
The 60-year-old Carney entered politics less than a year ago after campaigning on his extensive crisis management experience as a way of countering Trump’s tariffs and annexation threats.
But while the vast majority of Canada’s trade remains protected by the USMCA, a free-trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, Trump has called for revisions when it comes up for renegotiation soon.
Last week, Trump once again brought up the possibility of annexing Canada during a speech to US generals and admirals, referencing the country’s potential participation in a new “Golden Dome” missile shield.
(With inputs from AFP)