Breaking: Canadian PM Mark Carney Confronts Trump over ’51st State’ Talk in Oval Office Meeting: ‘Not for Sale’

Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told President Donald Trump that Canada is "not for sale" during a meeting in the Oval Office on Tuesday.

Asked by a reporter about his repeated suggestions that Canada could become the United States's 51st state, Trump said, "I still believe that, but … it takes two to tango."

Trump suggested there would be a "lot of advantages" if Canada were to join the U.S., including a "massive tax cut" for Canadians. 

“I'm a real estate developer at heart,” he said. “When you get rid of that artificially drawn line — somebody drew that line many years ago with like, a ruler, just a straight line right across the top of the country. When you look at that beautiful formation, when it's together … when I looked at that, you know, I said, that's the way it was meant to be.”

“It would really be a wonderful marriage, because it's two places that get along very well. They like each other a lot,” Trump added.

But Carney wasn't having it.

"As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale," the prime minister said. 

“It’s not for sale, won’t be for sale ever,” Carney added.

Trump, undeterred, replied: “Never say never.” 

Carney became the country's prime minister after his Liberal Party won a slight majority in parliament last week.

Trump played a significant role in the country’s elections with his calls to annex Canada and with his 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports.

While Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party at one point had a significant lead over the Liberals, Trump’s involvement in the election seemed to help boost the Liberals to a come-from-behind win.

"I was disliked by enough of the Canadians that I've thrown the election into a close call, right? I don't even know if it's a close call. But the conservatives, they didn't like Governor Trudeau too much, and I would call him Governor Trudeau, but he wasn't fond of that," Trump told The Atlantic ahead of the election.

Poilievre and Carney both opposed Trump’s calls for Canada to join the U.S. 

"President Trump, stay out of our election,” Poilievre said on Election Day. “The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box. Canada will always be proud, sovereign, and independent, and we will NEVER be the 51st state. Today Canadians can vote for change so we can strengthen our country, stand on our own two feet and stand up to America from a position of strength." 

In the Oval Office on Tuesday, Trump congratulated Carney on “one of the best comebacks in the history of politics — maybe even better than mine.”

Trump also said there was nothing Carney could say during their meeting on Tuesday that would convince him to drop his tariffs on Canada.

Asked why, Trump said, “That’s just the way it is.”