KANANASKIS — As U.S. President Donald Trump stepped onto a podium for a photo with Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife Diana, he wore two lapel pins on the left side of his suit.
The first, a small pin of the American flag. And underneath, paired Canadian and American flags.
Earlier in the day, when Trump and Carney met and took questions from reporters, Trump affected an upbeat mood, praising the relationship that he had built with Carney.
But given the oft-strained relationship between Canada and the United States, and in particular between Trump and former prime minister Justin Trudeau, the lapel pin is perhaps indicative of a warming relationship between the two countries.
In fact, it’s perhaps the first time Trump has worn such an adornment. In contrast, when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the United States in April, photos from the Oval Office show Trump in his trademark blue suit, with an American flag lapel pin — but no Israeli flag. Ditto for the May meeting between Carney and Trump. No Canadian flag in sight.
Trump caused a major diplomatic rift between the two allies when, late last year, he began musing publicly about Canada becoming the 51st state. On Christmas Day, in 2024, Trump mocked Trudeau, referring to him as governor. He also suggested that retired NHL star Wayne Gretzky could be the governor of Canada. He referred to the 49th parallel border as “artificial,” and suggested that Canada would have lower taxation and a stronger military if it became part of the United States.
The comments sparked nationalist outrage in Canada, and was likely partially responsible for the Liberals’ resurgence in the polls and eventual victory in the late April federal election in Canada. In his election night victory speech, Carney said the world had changed.
“Our old relationship with the United States, a relationship based on steadily increasing integration, is over,” he said.
At least part of what’s on the agenda for the G7 Summit this week is discussions of trade deals between Canada and the United States, after Trump slapped tariffs on Canadian goods, and Canada reciprocated, sparking the North American front in what has become a larger, global trade war.
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