‘Maybe they’ll shoot you’ – Carney narrates Trump jibe at White House

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has revealed how United States President Donald Trump jokingly warned he could be shot at the White House.

The PM recounted the jibe on Tuesday at the Canada Investment Summit 2026 in Toronto, a conference to secure $1 trillion in new investments over the next five years.

Carney is hosting over 1,000 CEOs, global asset managers, and sovereign wealth fund executives, as he strengthens partnerships amid the ongoing trade war with the US.

Commenting on his relationship with his American counterpart, Carney recalled a unique moment during a meeting at the White House in the spring of 2025.

The prime minister said Trump gave him a box that contained a big gold key, which he described as “something very special,” and afterward issued a caveat.

“It’s a key to the White House. You just bring it, they’ll let you in,” Carney quoted Trump. “Then he says, “Maybe they’ll shoot you.” That sort of sums up the relationship that we have.”

Carney, however, affirmed that Americans and Canadians will always be neighbors, assuring his country “will continue to be the US’s most important partner in many key areas.”

“Even at times of disagreement over our long shared history, we have always maintained deep ties,” he stressed. “These arrangements work best when we engage as true partners.”

The prime minister added that despite the diplomatic conflict, 80% of Canadian trade with the US is tariff-free, while most of American trade with Canada remains tariff-free.