'I wore red for you': Is Canada PM Carney trying to get in Trump’s good graces

'I wore red for you'

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney shared a light-hearted moment with US President Donald Trump during a White House meeting on Tuesday.

“I wore red for you,” Carney told Trump as they shook hands outside the US President’s residence, exchanging brief pleasantries. However, Trump was wearing blue.

Although said in light-hearted humour, reports suggest Carney was leaving nothing to chance to keep Trump in good spirits.

‘I wore RED for you’ — Canada’s PM Carney buttering up Trump before talks

Reporter asks about Hamas attack anniversary ‘Thank you very much everybody’ pic.twitter.com/vG4JDvk7B2 — RT (@RT_com) October 7, 2025

The visit was ambiguous, marked by neither overt tension nor clear breakthroughs. Canada remains the only G7 nation without a trade deal to avoid U.S. tariffs, impacting its economy and Prime Minister Mark Carney’s political standing.

Since taking office, Carney has navigated a delicate path with President Donald Trump, seeking to ease tensions left by his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, who openly criticised Trump’s tariffs and accused him of appeasing Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The meeting comes months after Trump imposed a 35 per cent tariff on Canadian imports beginning August 1. Despite the tariffs, Trump struck a friendly tone, praising progress toward a trade deal but offering few concrete concessions on the high tariffs.

Trump repeatedly lauded Carney as a "great leader," AFP reported, noting, "I think they're going to walk away very happy. I think we've come a long way over the last few months, actually, in terms of that relationship."

Trump also highlighted the natural business competition between Canada and Mexico, saying, "There's natural conflict because their manufacturers compete for the same market… nothing wrong with it."

Carney expressed confidence that Canada would "get the right deal" with the United States, its largest economic partner, which receives 75 per cent of Canadian exports.

The leaders shared lighter moments, laughing as Trump joked about a Canadian "merger," referencing his past calls for Canada to become the 51st US state.

Trump has already imposed tariffs on lumber, aluminum, steel, and automobiles, and on Monday announced a 25 per cent tariff on all imported heavy trucks starting November 1.

Carney, 60, entered politics less than a year ago, campaigning on his crisis management experience to counter Trump’s tariffs and annexation threats. While most Canadian trade remains protected under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, Trump has indicated he wants revisions when the deal is renegotiated.

Last week, Trump again raised the idea of annexing Canada in a speech to US generals and admirals, citing the country’s potential role in a new "Golden Dome" missile shield.