Trump signals progress toward trade deal with Canada during friendly WH meeting with Carney

President Donald Trump signaled Tuesday that the US and Canada are edging closer to a new trade agreement during a friendly joint press appearance with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney ahead of their closed-door talks at the White House.

Carney started his side of the meeting by praising Trump’s foreign policy record, pointing to his “transformation of the economy,” “peace agreements in the Middle East,” and “disabling Iran as a force of terror.”

As Carney began to mention “what is in many respects the most important” of Trump’s achievements, the president jumped in and joked, “The merger of Canada and the United States.”

“That wasn’t where I was going," Carney said.

When asked by reporters about trade, Trump wasn't specific with anything but said the talks were progressing. “We’re going to be talking about tariffs, about trade, about a lot of things — but that’s for a little later on,” he said. He added that the people of Canada would “love us again” once an agreement is finalized.

Trump also said both sides were aligned on the importance of peace in the Middle East, saying there was a “real chance” for an agreement to be reached. “Our team is over there now,” he said. “Literally every country in the world supports our plan.”

The meeting ended with Trump calling Carney “a great man and a world-class leader.” When a reporter asked what was holding up a deal with Canada if both men were so eager, Trump replied, “Because I want to be a great man too."