Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney campaigned on being the leader who wouldn’t back down from Donald Trump – and if their first official meeting is anything to go by, the tension is already palpable.
The two leaders met at the White House at noon (ET) on May 6, but not before Trump fired off a scathing message on Truth Social targeting Canada.
“I look forward to meeting the new Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney,” Trump wrote. “I very much want to work with him, but cannot understand one simple TRUTH — Why is America subsidizing Canada by $200 Billion Dollars a year, in addition to giving them FREE Military Protection, and many other things?”
Trump didn’t stop there, adding another ‘Truth’: “We don’t need their Cars, we don’t need their Energy, we don’t need their Lumber, we don’t need ANYTHING they have, other than their friendship, which hopefully we will always maintain. They, on the other hand, need EVERYTHING from us! The Prime Minister will be arriving shortly and that will be, most likely, my only question of consequence.”
Carney, for his part, has not shied away from confronting Trump. At a rally in Ottawa during his campaign, he declared: “As I’ve been warning for months, America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country – never.”
He added: “These are not idle threats. President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us – that will never, ever happen. But we also must recognize the reality that our world has fundamentally changed.”
When the pair finally met face-to-face on the White House steps, their body language drew immediate attention. Expert Beth Dawson weighed in, offering her analysis of the tense encounter.
“Carney approached Trump with his head slightly inclined forward and extended a handshake, while also placing a hand on Trump’s elbow,” she told reporters. “That slight tilt of the head signals a mix of assertiveness and subtle submission. He looks determined, but there’s a hint of apprehension.”
The elbow touch, Dawson noted, was an attempt to level the playing field. “It’s a nonverbal cue for connection – a way of saying ‘I want this to be equal.’ But he’s careful not to overstep.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s response signaled dominance. “As Carney reaches out, Trump raises his right shoulder, a classic power move. Initially, his posture is relaxed, almost stooped in a welcoming gesture, but he quickly straightens up and raises a clenched fist – unmistakably assertive.”
As the two men turned toward the press, Dawson pointed out that Carney’s composed exterior revealed subtle cracks. “He keeps a steady smile and firm eye contact, but then clasps his hands together; a self-soothing gesture. He also glances at Trump for cues, indicating some unease.”
Inside the Oval Office, the tone appeared slightly more cordial. Trump told Carney it was “an honor” to host him and praised his election performance.
“I thought you were excellent during the campaign,” Trump said. “I think we have a lot of things in common.”
But the moment soon turned provocative again, with Trump reviving a controversial idea from past rhetoric: “I still believe [Canada could be the 51st] state, but it takes two to tango. It would really be a wonderful marriage because it’s two places that get along very well.”
Carney’s reply, reportedly via the BBC, was succinct: “Some places are never for sale.”
