'Very talented, very good': Trump calls Canada PM Carney’s win ‘greater than his’ in surprisingly warm White House welcome
Written By Prapti Upadhayay
Published: May 06, 2025, 16:52 IST | Updated: May 06, 2025, 16:52 IST
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World: US President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office it was a “great honour” to host Carney, describing his election win as “very big”.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, in a long-awaited meeting that came after weeks of strained relations over tariffs and talk of annexation.
Despite the recent tensions, the meeting began on a surprisingly warm note. President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office it was a “great honour” to host Carney, describing his election win as “very big”.
“I think I was probably the greatest thing that happened to him,” Trump said. “His party was losing a lot, and he ended up winning. So I really want to congratulate him, probably one of the greatest comebacks in the history of politics, maybe even greater than mine.”
Trump went on to call Carney a “very talented” and “very good” person, adding that the two had spoken “quite a few times” before the Canadian election.
In response, Prime Minister Carney praised Trump as a “transformational president”, saying his own government had also been elected to bring change to Canada.
He said, “The history of Canada and the US is [that] we’re stronger when we work together,” highlighting a shared focus on economic matters and border security.
Both leaders indicated they would be discussing the war in Ukraine during their talks, with Trump saying Carney “wants it ended as quickly as I do.”
Despite his past comments and rising trade tensions, Trump said the US would always maintain friendly ties with its northern neighbour.
“We’re gonna be friends with Canada, regardless of anything,” Trump told reporters. “I have a lot of respect for the Canadians. It’s a very special place.”