Washington, October 8 (HS): US President Donald Trump humorously revived his longstanding joke about Canada being the 51st US state during a bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House on Tuesday. The light-hearted moment occurred as the two leaders discussed trade relations, regional security, and the ongoing Gaza conflict.
Carney responded with laughter, noting that Canada would never be part of the US, but also praised Trump as a transformative president for his leadership on economic transformation, NATO defense commitments, and fostering peace in regions including South Asia and the Middle East.
Trump acknowledged the natural differences between the two nations but expressed optimism about resolving them, highlighting a strong relationship. He spoke at length about serious negotiations aimed at achieving peace in the Middle East, emphasizing efforts to end the 3,000-year-old conflict and secure the release of hostages from Gaza.
Trump claimed his peace plan has received broad international approval and hinted at potential beneficial trade deals between the US and Canada.Despite this cordial atmosphere, tensions linger beneath the surface as Canada officially recognized the State of Palestine in September 2025, a move not aligned with the US stance supporting Israel.
Prime Minister Carney reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to its foreign policy while praising Trump’s global diplomatic and economic achievements.The meeting underscored a complex but cooperative bilateral relationship, balancing trade talks, security cooperation, and efforts to resolve prolonged conflicts in the Middle East.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
