Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told President Donald Trump that Canada will not "ever" become the United States of America's 51st state.
During a Tuesday Oval Office meeting, a reporter asked Trump if he would still like to see Canada become a U.S. state.
"Well, I still believe that," the president said. "But, you know, it takes two to tango, right?"
"There would be a lot of advantages," he continued. "And it's also a beautiful, you know, as a real estate developer, you know, I'm a real estate developer at heart. When you get rid of that artificially drawn line, somebody drew that line many years ago with like a ruler, just a straight line right across the top of the country."
"When you look at that beautiful formation when it's together, I'm a very artistic person. But when I looked at that, you know, I said that's the way it was meant to be."
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Trump insisted that Canada and the U.S. would have a "wonderful marriage," but Carney argued that it wasn't going to happen.
"Well, if I may, as you know, from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale," Carney told Trump. "And having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign, last several months, it's not for sale, won't be for sale ever."
"But the opportunity is in the partnership and what we can build together," he added. "And my government is committed for a step change in our investment in Canadian security and our partnership."
