Trump touts 'great progress' in trade talks with Canada during Carney's visit

President Donald Trump affirmed Tuesday that there has been "great progress" in trade negotiations with Canada, whose Prime Minister Mark Carney visited the White House in seeking to relax the tariffs imposed on his country.

It is Carney's second visit to Washington since April, but unlike other US allies, he has not yet been able to seal a deal to curb the Republican leader's trade war. However, Trump said during the meeting that Canada "will come out of the talks very happy" and that "the Canadian people will love us again."

Trump, a "transformative president"

From the Oval Room, Carney thanked Trump for hosting him for the second time this year and called him a "transformative president."

The Canadian prime minister also listed some of the president's accomplishments, such as securing "unprecedented commitments from NATO partners for defense spending" and "disabling Iran as a terrorist force."

The Republican leader interrupted Carney's praise to talk about a possible "merger of Canada and the United States."

"That's not where I was going!" Carney responded with laughter.

Carney added that he backs Trump's Israel-Gaza peace plan. "We will do everything we can to support it."

"Complicated" trade relations

Trump called trade negotiations with Canada "complicated, more complicated than perhaps any other trade deal we have."

According to the Republican leader, this is due to the "natural conflict" between the two countries, but also to the "mutual love." I think we've made a lot of progress in the last few months."

When asked if the president would offer Canada a compromise on metal tariffs, Trump replied that compromises have already been made. "We want to make our own steel, we don't want to bring in steel for the most part."

"We are working on formulas, and we will get it done," Trump assured.

Likewise, the president said he wants Canada to "do great, but there's a point where we want the same business," adding that the two countries are "in competition" and that's why he keeps mentioning a "very easy way to solve that problem," referring to the possible merger of the two countries.

Plans for 'golden dome' defense system

During the press conference, Trump said he and Carney will "work together on a golden dome for the two countries" and stated that this "is going to be very important."

Carney talks about the fentanyl crisis

Trump also seemed pleased with Canada's record so far to combat fentanyl trafficking, saying the country has "worked hard and they've done a much better job than they have in the past."

The president said he has worked with both Canada and Mexico to make the situation "much better."

For his part, Carney commented that any amount of fentanyl "is too much," adding that his administration has reduced its impact "substantially."

According to the Canadian government, Carney's "working visit" to the United States seeks to restore bilateral relations and discuss "common priorities in a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the United States."