Mark Carney to Trump: ‘Canada won’t be for sale, ever’

Mark Carney, the Canadian Prime Minister, during a meeting at the White House, on Tuesday, May 6, 2025,   firmly responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Canada should become America’s 51st state.

Carney made it clear: “Canada is not for sale.”

He recently won the Canadian election with a campaign focused on standing up to Trump’s aggressive trade and foreign policy stance,

Trump, known for his combative tone with previous Canadian leadership, floated the idea of a “wonderful marriage” in which Canada would be incorporated into the United States.

Carney, formerly the governor of the Bank of England and the Bank of Canada, pushed back in a composed but resolute manner.

Comparing his country to iconic institutions like Buckingham Palace and the Oval Office, he told Trump that some things simply aren’t for sale.

“Having met with the owners of Canada—the Canadian people—it’s not for sale.

“Won’t be for sale. Ever,” Carney stated.

Trump, only half-jokingly, replied: “Never say never.”

Despite their differences, the meeting was mostly cordial.

Both leaders offered generous praise at the outset.

Trump lauded Carney’s recent election victory as “one of the greatest comebacks in the history of politics,” even claiming it might surpass his own.

Carney, in turn, credited Trump with being a “transformational president”.

He also acknowledged his focus on American workers, border security, and a reinvigorated NATO.

However, tensions emerged when discussions turned to trade and tariffs.

Trump has placed significant tariffs, 25%, on Canadian and Mexican goods.

It has also targeted the automotive sector, though some of these duties are on hold pending negotiations.

Trump reiterated longstanding complaints that Canada does too little to stop the flow of fentanyl into the U.S.

He also argued that the U.S. subsidizes Canada’s defense while receiving little in return in terms of steel or aluminum.

When asked if anything Carney said might persuade him to lift tariffs, Trump bluntly responded, “No. It’s just the way it is.”

Still, Trump claimed the conversation was “very friendly” and emphasized that the U.S. and Canada would continue to be allies, saying, “Regardless of anything, we’re going to be friends with Canada.”

He took a swipe at former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, with whom he had a frosty relationship, and contrasted that with his more amiable tone toward Carney.

Carney, while maintaining a diplomatic approach, noted that he pressed Trump to reconsider the tariffs, saying there was a willingness to negotiate.

Speaking later at the Canadian embassy, Carney clarified that he wasn’t expecting a quick resolution but saw room for productive talks in the future.

“There’ll be zigs and zags,” he admitted, suggesting that difficult discussions lie ahead but the door remains open.

He also addressed Trump’s recurring idea that Canada should become part of the U.S., insisting that such statements blur the line between “wish and reality.”

Carney emphasized that the ongoing talks are between two sovereign nations and that both leaders understand the significance of that distinction.

Carney’s election was largely interpreted as a response to Canadian concerns over Trump’s impact on the bilateral relationship.

Throughout his campaign, Carney pledged to push back against what he called Trump’s “betrayal” of Canadian interests and economic threats.

In his victory speech, Carney even declared that the historically close Canada-U.S. relationship had ended.

He urged Canadians to reimagine their economy in a new era where Washington’s protectionism may become the norm.

While Trump appeared uninterested in new trade agreements, despite the U.S. claiming over 80 countries are eager to negotiate with them, Carney emphasized Canada’s openness to dialogue.

However, he refrained from setting a timeline for future meetings, only noting that both sides would stay in touch over the coming weeks.

With over $760 billion in goods exchanged last year, Canada remains the U.S.’s second-largest trading partner and its number one export market.

As tensions persist, both nations seem poised for a careful rebalancing of their long-standing, if now complicated, economic and diplomatic relationship.

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