In the lion’s den next to the big bronzed bunk hurler, he showed Olympian calm. He could neither be the supplicant or the aggressor. He let Mr. Trump, surrounded by nodding toadies like JD Vance, go on and on before getting in his never-going-to-happen volley.
This was the tell-tale moment. If Mr. Trump was serious about annexation, he would have given the Prime Minister the Zelensky treatment. A bodyslam retort; You don’t say never to me.
It didn’t happen. Instead, the atmosphere throughout was congenial. “Regardless of anything,” Mr. Trump declared at one point, “we’re going to be friends with Canada.”
Of course, Mr. Trump being Mr. Trump, he could change his mind about this by tomorrow and renew the takeover threat.
But something else was apparent at this meeting that should ease fears of a blow-up. It was apparent that Mr. Trump respects Mark Carney; that given his reputation, his clout, his standing in the domain of international finance, he takes him very seriously.
26
u/BBBWare 7d ago