The video apparently shows Trudeau chattering with other world leaders about Trump's conduct Tuesday at the NATO Summit in London.
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he has a "very good and constructive" relationship with President Donald Trump following the release of a video of the Canadian prime minister that prompted the U.S. president to call him "two-faced."
The video apparently shows Trudeau chattering with other world leaders about Trump's conduct Tuesday at the NATO Summit in London. Asked Wednesday about the video, Trump called Trudeau “two-faced."
Trudeau told a news conference in London Wednesday that Canada's deep ties with its largest trading partner go far beyond any relationship between a prime minister and a president.
He was asked whether he apologized to Trump for his remarks in the video.
“Last night, I made a reference to the fact that there was an unscheduled press conference before my meeting with President Trump, and I was happy to take part [in] it,” he said, sidestepping the question.
“But it was certainly notable and I’ve had a number of good conversations with the president over the course of this day and yesterday.”
He added he had a “great” bilateral meeting Tuesday with the president.
Trudeau also said his remark captured on video that he saw “jaws drop” among members of Trump’s team was in reference to the president’s announcement that next year’s G7 would be held at Camp David, the presidential retreat outside of Washington.
“We were all surprised and, I think, pleased to learn that next G7 will be at Camp David — I think that that was an unscheduled announcement,” he said before commenting on the unexpected release of the video.
“I think every different leader has teams who, every now and then, have their jaws drop at unscheduled surprises — like that video itself, for example.”
A snippet of the private exchange Tuesday between Trudeau and several peers, including British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron, was caught on video — and by a hot microphone.
Over drinks at a Buckingham Palace reception, the leaders appeared to be discussing Trump’s winding, impromptu press conferences with journalists earlier in the day. Trump was not mentioned by name in the video.
Trudeau was can be overheard in the clip saying: “He was late because he takes a 40-minute press conference off the top. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah...”
He later added as the others listened intently: “You just watched his team’s jaws drop to the floor.”
Trudeau was referring to a photo-op earlier in the day, on the margins of the NATO Summit, that turned into a lengthy press conference.
Asked about the video, Trump was blunt: “Well, he's two-faced.” He added that while Trudeau is “a nice guy,” he was likely upset by Trump’s demands for Canada to spend more on defense to meet a minimum NATO guideline.
Article originally published on POLITICO Magazine
