Trump beams as he and Justin Trudeau appear in good spirits at Mar-a-Lago after differences over tariffs
All appeared to be well between Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau in an all-smiles photo of the president-elect and the Canadian Prime Minister at Mar-a-Lago Friday night.
The liberal PM Trudeau has often clashed with Trump but facing re-election in 2025, he appears intent on working with his counterpart, even as Trump threatens Canada and Mexico with high tariffs.
A person familiar with the details called it a 'positive wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours.'
The official said topics included trade, border security, fentanyl, defense, Ukraine, NATO, China and pipelines, as well as the the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year.
Trump´s transition did not respond to questions about what they had discussed or whether the conversation alleviated Trump´s concerns about the border.
Pennsylvania Senator-elect Dave McCormack posted a picture of Trump and Trudeau next to one another at the big table at what's often referred to as the 'Winter White House' in Florida.
'Honored to have dinner with @realDonaldTrump and to celebrate two big wins in PA! Ready to join him in Washington to shake things up and fight for every single Pennsylvanian!'
Seated at the table with Trump, McCormack and Trudeau include nominee for Secretary of the Interior and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, National Security Advisor nominee Mike Waltz and Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick.
All appeared to be well between Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau in an all-smiles photo of the president-elect and Canadian Prime Minister at Mar-a-Lago Friday night
The liberal PM Trudeau has often clashed with Trump but facing re-election in 2025, he appears intent on working with his counterpart, even as Trump threatens Canada and Mexico with high tariffs
Trudeau's delegation featured chief of staff Katie Telford and Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc.
On Monday, Trump announced on Truth Social that he wished to impose a 25 percent import tax on Canada - and also on Mexico - to pressure America's neighbors to do more to control illegal immigration coming over the U.S. border.
Two hours later, Trudeau got on the phone with Trump, with the two leaders having a constructive conversation on trade and border security.
Now it appears the Canadian prime minister is going to make an in-person plea.
Earlier this week Trudeau told reporters that Canada should take Trump's tariff threat seriously.
'One of the things that is really important to understand is that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out,' Trudeau said, according to the Globe and Mail. 'There's no question about it.'
'Our responsibility is to point out that, in this way, he would be actually not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, he'd actually be raising prices for American citizens as well and hurting American industry and businesses,' Trudeau added.
The president-elect touted tariffs during his 2024 campaign as a way to bend other countries to his will, though critics pointed out that the cost of import taxes are generally passed on to the consumer.
A person familiar with the details called it a 'positive wide-ranging dinner that lasted three hours.' The official said topics included trade, border security, fentanyl, defense, Ukraine, NATO, China and pipelines, as well as the the Group of Seven meeting in Canada next year
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Treadeau heads to meet US President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago luxury estate
Trump won a second term, in part, because he pledged to be better on the economy than President Joe Biden and later Vice President Kamala Harris, as Americans are still feeling financially challenged by high prices in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Republican also won due to his more hardline stance on immigration.
The 25 percent tariff threat on Canada and Mexico, Trump suggested, would get those countries to better control the flow of people over the U.S. border.
He claimed that Canada and Mexico had 'the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem.'
The tariffs, Trump said, would apply to 'ALL products coming into the United States, and its ridiculous Open Borders.'
'This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!' Trump exclaimed.
Trudeau did not respond to questions from the media as he returned to his hotel Friday evening after meeting with Trump.
But for Canada, the stakes of any new tariffs are high.
The president-elect touted tariffs during his 2024 campaign as a way to bend other countries like Trudeau's Canada to his will, though critics pointed out that the cost of import taxes are generally passed on to the consumer
More than three-quarters of Canadian exports, or $423 billion USD, went to the United States last year, and nearly two million Canadian jobs are dependent on trade.
Canada is considering possible retaliatory tariffs against the United States.
Trump has been holding court at Mar-a-Lago all week through the Thanksgiving holiday - also spending hours at his nearby West Palm Beach golf club.
On Wednesday night he entertained Facebook founder and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for dinner after spending the afternoon playing a round of golf.
He had a full house at Mar-a-Lago for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Social media posts showed billionaire Elon Musk in close company with the president-elect, Melania and Barron.
Tiffany Trump, who's expecting her first child, was also spotted, alongside brother Eric and sister-in-law Lara, who co-chaired the Republican National Committee this cycle.
Additionally, actor Sylvester Stallone was on hand.
