Politics
Carney Gets the Trump Treatment in Oval Office | Carney Trump Oval Office
Carney Trump Oval Office
Meetings between the leaders of Canada and the United States are rarely seen as high-stakes events, but this one was far from typical. Newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was making his first official visit to the White House to meet President Donald Trump—who had, for months, floated the idea of making Canada the 51st state.
It didn’t take long for a reporter to raise the topic on everyone’s mind. Trump reaffirmed his interest in annexation, calling the U.S.-Canada border nothing more than an arbitrary line.
Carney, whose election was driven in part by backlash against Trump’s combative rhetoric, now had the opportunity to stand up for his country. He responded with calm resolve.
“Some places are simply not for sale,” Carney said. Canada, he added, is one of them—“and it never will be.”
Trump gave a casual shrug and lifted his eyebrows. “Never say never,” he replied.
Carney silently mouthed the words: “never, never, never.”
The exchange highlighted how Trump has reshaped meetings in the Oval Office—transforming what were once routine diplomatic encounters into tense moments that challenge visiting leaders to either confront or accommodate the unpredictable American president. His style appeals to some supporters, but often unnerves diplomats more accustomed to measured, deliberate diplomacy.
“There’s no set playbook for handling this,” said Daniel Mulhall, who served as Ireland’s ambassador to the U.S. during Trump’s first term. He described the former president’s erratic behavior as a “risk factor” and a “remarkable break from the norm.”
Still, it seemed that Carney struck the right tone — at least in Trump’s view. As the meeting wrapped up, Trump remarked, “I like this guy.”
Carney smiled in response.
Trump Has Changed the Game
Traditionally, an Oval Office meeting has symbolized the pinnacle of diplomatic recognition — formal, dignified, and largely uneventful. Reporters were allowed in briefly to snap photos and, occasionally, ask a few questions while leaders offered scripted comments.
That model no longer applies. Under Trump, these meetings resemble episodes from a geopolitical reality show. He can be hospitable one moment and scathingly critical the next, often airing grievances about trade, military contributions, or perceived slights. He welcomes extended press questioning, often turning visiting leaders into passive observers.
Since his return to office, Trump has hosted 16 foreign leaders at the White House — more than Barack Obama or Joe Biden had at this point in their presidencies.
“Thanks to this president’s dedication to transparency and accessibility, Americans can see his foreign policy play out live — giving both him and visiting leaders a direct channel to the public,” said Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly.
In practice, these sessions can feel like stress tests. On Tuesday, Carney sat through Trump’s tirade about California’s delayed high-speed rail project, boasts about refurbishing the Oval Office with “great love and 24-karat gold,” and a surprise declaration that the U.S. would cease airstrikes on the Houthis in Yemen.
Trump even launched into an unexpected rant about Barack Obama’s presidential library, claiming delays were due to the former president insisting on hiring only “woke” workers.
“He wanted to be politically correct,” Trump said. “He didn’t use strong, tough, mean construction workers.”
Carney’s discomfort showed — his mouth tightened, his eyes darted, and his hands stayed clasped, except for the occasional attempt to interject.
By contrast, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele appeared more relaxed during his meeting with Trump, smiling as the president bragged about scoring high on a cognitive test, insulted a reporter’s ratings, and described himself as “very flexible” on tariffs.
Elise Labott, a veteran journalist and Council on Foreign Relations fellow, dismissed the White House’s framing of these encounters as transparent diplomacy. “It’s just more of the show,” she said. “These meetings have been turned into part of the circus.”
Leaders Choose Tact Over Confrontation
Foreign leaders often tread carefully to avoid direct confrontation. Instead, they pivot quickly when uncomfortable topics come up.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, for example, was in the Oval Office when Trump floated the idea of annexing Greenland — a territory of Denmark, a NATO ally. Rutte deflected: “I don’t want to bring NATO into that,” then shifted the conversation to Arctic security, telling Trump, “you are totally right.”
Jordan’s King Abdullah II remained visibly uneasy during a meeting in which Trump floated a proposal to expel Palestinians and take over Gaza — a highly sensitive issue for a country hosting over two million Palestinian refugees. The king dodged the subject at the time, expressing his opposition later via social media.
French President Emmanuel Macron stood out as one of the few who corrected Trump without blowback. When Trump falsely claimed that Europe was lending, not donating, aid to Ukraine, Macron gently touched Trump’s forearm and interjected. Trump brushed it off: “If you believe that, it’s OK with me.”
No meeting went worse than Trump’s session with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February. After a heated exchange about resolving the war with Russia, Trump told him bluntly, “It’s going to be very hard to do business like this.”
“You need to show gratitude,” Trump added. “You don’t have the cards.”
As reporters filed out, Trump remarked, “This is going to be great television.”
Trump Keeps Allies Guessing
Rufus Gifford, a former protocol chief under Biden, acknowledged Trump’s uncanny ability to capture attention. “He knows how to draw eyes — that’s undeniable,” Gifford said. “But just because people are watching doesn’t mean it’s good policy.”
Max Bergmann, a former State Department official now at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, echoed the concern. “These meetings are inherently difficult because the president can be unpredictable,” he said. “It makes diplomats worldwide think twice about scheduling one.”
Still, avoiding Trump is not easy for U.S. allies.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer prepared extensively for his first Oval Office encounter, knowing how much Trump values personal rapport — and how hard it is to recover once you’re on his bad side. Starmer presented a formal invitation from King Charles III for a state visit and praised Trump for restoring a bust of Winston Churchill to the Oval Office. He also thanked Trump for “shifting the conversation” on Ukraine — even though that shift meant taking a stance closer to Russia than Europe would prefer.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin managed to emerge relatively unscathed by choosing a go-with-the-flow strategy. He didn’t challenge Trump’s accusation that Ireland lured U.S. companies with unfair tax practices. Instead, he steered the conversation toward common interests like golf and boxing.
“Every leader has to craft their own approach,” said Mulhall.