US President Donald Trump hosted new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House this Tuesday.
Once again, Trump did not hesitate to declare that he still believes that Canada should become the 51st state of the United States.
“When you look at the benefits for Canadian citizens — lower taxes, free military protection, great health care — it’s a fantastic deal,” Trump said. He added that as a real estate developer, he sees the union of the two countries as “something that was meant to happen.”
"It would be a really wonderful wedding," Trump said.
However, Prime Minister Carney immediately reacted: "As you know from real estate, there are countries that are never for sale. Canada is one of them. Canada will never be for sale." He emphasized that the strength of the relationship between the two countries lies in partnership, not in political union.
Carney praised Trump's commitment to international security and NATO, promising increased investment in Canadian defense. But on the idea of "unification," he remained steadfast.
Trump ended with a joke: "Never say never," implying that the idea, however unusual, could remain on the table.