President Donald Trump tried to humiliate Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office on Tuesday as he doubled down on his '51st state' plans.
The explosive meeting came as the relationship between the U.S. and its neighbor has been undermined by the president's talk of annexing Canada, and his imposition of massive tariffs.
Trump said the U.S.-Canada border was an 'artificially drawn line' and if they joined together it would be a 'wonderful marriage.' He added: 'But it takes two to tango, right?'
Carney appeared to squirm in his seat and fired back that Canada was 'not for sale.'
Canada's Liberal Party won an April 28 election on the back of promises to stand up to Trump.
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Trump admits it 'takes two to tango' in climb down from push to make Canada 51st state
By Geoff Earle, Deputy U.S. Political Editor
There was a strikingly cordial tone between Trump and Carney, even during polite but stark disagreements over Trump’s drive to make Canada the 51st U.S. State.
Trump said that he ‘still’ believes in the idea, but then added: ‘But it takes two to tango, right?’
‘We’re not going to be discussing that unless somebody wants to discuss it,’ he said before meeting with the Canadian PM, who campaigned in opposition to the idea.
Trump said it would be a ‘wonderful marriage,’ but Carney told the former developer flatly: ‘There are some places that are never for sale,’ mentioning the Whtie House and Buckingham Palace.
In another rhetorical concession, Trump said Canada ‘is stepping up the military participation.’
But he refused to call the idea dead. ‘I say “never say never,”’ Trump said.
