New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addresses the media after being sworn in at Rideau Hall on March 14, 2025 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Ottawa: Mark Carney, Canada's newly sworn-in Prime Minister, declared Friday that his country will never become part of the United States, despite repeated suggestions by US President Donald Trump about annexing the northern neighbor.
Following his swearing-in as Canada's 24th Prime Minister, succeeding Justin Trudeau, who held the position since 2015, Carney emphasized that countering Trump's tariffs would be a priority.
He firmly stated that Canada "will not, under any circumstances, become part of the United States," while expressing hope for future cooperation between his government and Washington to serve the interests of both nations.
Carney, 59, described the Trump administration as the greatest challenge Canada has faced in a generation, affirming his country's right to defend its interests in ways it deems appropriate for its people.
Relations between Ottawa and its southern neighbor have deteriorated since Trump's return to the US presidency in January. Canada has imposed retaliatory tariffs in response to those introduced by the White House, while Canadian public opinion has expressed significant anger over Trump's insistence on eliminating the border between the two countries.
