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You might have caught wind of one or two of the not-so-shocking moments from the meeting, but there were honestly too many to keep track of. So, without further ado, here are a few moments in which Trump seemed to have absolutely zero clue about Canada:
1. Starting off strong with when he had no idea how much trade the US does with Canada:
"We are the largest client of the United States in the totality of all the goods," Carney says in response to Trump's comment that the US "doesn't do much business with Canada."
Carney's statement is true. According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (an executive office of the president, BTW), in 2024, "Canada was the top destination for US exports and the third-largest source of US imports. Canada exported over three-quarters of its goods to the United States and imported almost half of its goods from the United States."
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2. When Trump didn't know the meaning of the word "concession":
A reporter asked Trump what the top concession he was seeking from Canada was. His response: "friendship." She told him that wasn't a concession, to which he just said "oh" and started rambling.
Mama, let's research... Merriam-Webster defines "concession" as the act of giving something up. The dictionary also includes a sub-definition that mentions the grant of land or property, so it seems like a more accurate answer by Trump might've been "the entire country" (à la the "51st state" thing he just won't give up).
3. When he thought the record-breaking, Russian-born NHL player Alex Ovechkin was Canadian:
Ovechkin, who does indeed play for the Washington, DC professional hockey team, the Washington Capitals, was born in Moscow. He broke Canadian former hockey pro Wayne Gretzky's NHL record for most career goals with number 895 early last month. I tried to figure out how Trump might've confused his nationality, and all I found was a couple of world championships he won in Canada...
4. And finally, when Trump shamelessly responded to the assertion that "Canada is not for sale" with the words "never say never":
Again, Trump refuses to let go of the US annexing Canada. Carney tells him that in meeting with "the owners of Canada" — his constituents — throughout his campaign, he knows Canada "is not for sale" and never will be. He discusses the power of the partnership between the countries and mentions national security. Trump responds that Canada has "stepped up" their military...and to "never say never."
Carney, of course, denies this to the crowd.
Canadians, Americans, or really anyone, what do you make of all of this? Let me know in the comments.
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