Vancouver Sun

NOT PM’S FIRST FLUB WITH TRUMP.

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THE LATEST SNAFU IN THE RELATIONSH­IP BETWEEN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU AND U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP PLAYED OUT ON THE PUBLIC STAGE OF AN INTERNATIO­NAL SUMMIT ON WEDNESDAY. BUT THE LEADERS OF TWO OF THE WORLD’S CLOSEST ALLIES HAVE HAD THEIR PRICKLY EXCHANGES BEFORE. CHARLEVOIX, 2018

At the closing of a G7 summit, which Canada hosted in Quebec, Trudeau reiterated his criticisms of American tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. Tweeting aboard Air Force One on his way home, Trump called the prime minister “very dishonest and weak” and withdrew American support for the joint leaders’ statement at the summit conclusion.

“I see the television and he’s giving a news conference about how he ‘will not be pushed around’ by the United States. And I say, ‘Push him around? We just shook hands,’” Trump said the day after.

Two senior Trump advisers piled on. Economic adviser Larry Kudlow told CNN Trudeau “stabbed us in the back.” Over on Fox News, Peter Navarro, in charge of trade policy, said “there’s a special place in hell” for a foreign leader engaging in “bad-faith diplomacy” with Trump.

Chrystia Freeland, then foreign affairs minister, said the Canadians wouldn’t resort to personal attacks in their response.

UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 2018

Trump mused about taxing cars crossing into the U.S. from Canada during a press conference on the margins of the UN General Assembly in September, talking about negotiatio­ns for a renewed North American free-trade pact.

“We’re very unhappy with the negotiatio­ns and the negotiatin­g style of Canada. We don’t like their representa­tive very much,” Trump said, referring to Freeland.

Trump also said he refused a meeting with Trudeau — a meeting Trudeau office said it had never requested.

All of this followed a leaders’ luncheon where Trump only took notice of the prime minister when Trudeau tapped the president on the shoulder, then shook hands with a seated Trump.

Trudeau didn’t see what the fuss was about, calling it “an interactio­n like so many” at the UN — “quick but cordial.”

“There are all sorts of opportunit­ies for me to speak to President Trump,” Trudeau demurred, “and that was not the time.”

 ?? YUI MOK / POOL / AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES ?? Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was caught on live microphone speaking candidly on Tuesday to Princess Anne, from left, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a reception at Buckingham Palace in London, as NATO leaders gathered to mark 70 years of the alliance.
YUI MOK / POOL / AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was caught on live microphone speaking candidly on Tuesday to Princess Anne, from left, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a reception at Buckingham Palace in London, as NATO leaders gathered to mark 70 years of the alliance.

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