Washington: President Donald Trump gave Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, a frosty
welcome to the White House on Tuesday, saying on social media just before his arrival that the United States doesn’t need “ANYTHING” from its northern neighbour.
“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 wrote on Truth Social.
“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.”
The president added that his inquiry about why the US needs
anything from Canada “will be, most likely, my only question of consequence.”
It’s a claim that defies the underlying economic data as the United States depends on oil produced in Canada, in addition to an array of other goods that cross border trade have helped to make more affordable in ways that benefit growth.
Carney won the job of prime minister by promising to confront the increased aggression shown by Trump, even as he has preserved the calm
demeanour of an economist who has led the central banks of both Canada and the United Kingdom.