Today's Edition
Washington (dpa)
US President Donald Trump on Tuesday was set to host Canada's new Prime Minister Mark Carney at the White House amid tense bilateral relations between the two neighbours.
Ahead of the visit, Carney said that the meeting would focus on tariffs and bilateral relations between the two countries.
Trump, however, on Monday said he was "not sure" what Carney "wants to see me about. I guess he wants to make a deal. Everybody does."
Carney won Canada's election on April 28 buoyed by his sharp anti-Trump stance.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to annex Canada as the 51st state of the United States. He has also imposed high tariffs on the neighbouring country, whose economy is closely intertwined with that of the US.
Trump's remarks about annexation caused widespread outrage. In a television interview over the weekend, the US president said that it was "highly unlikely" that the US would reach a point where it would intervene with its military.
After his Liberal Party's victory in last week's parliamentary election, Carney promised to firmly oppose the aggressive policies of the US government.
In his victory speech, Carney said: "President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us: That will never, ever happen."
"When I sit down with President Trump, it will be to discuss the future economic and security relationship between two sovereign nations and it will be with our full knowledge that we have many, many other options than the United States to build prosperity for all Canadians," Carney added.
