Body language expert decodes Trump's reaction to meeting Mark Carney right after taking potshot at Canada

WASHINGTON, DC: Just hours into his new role, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney went toe-to-toe with President Donald Trump. The tension was palpable even before the two leaders shook hands.

At high noon on Tuesday, May 6, Carney landed on the White House steps to meet the 78-year-old POTUS. But Trump had already fired the first shot on Truth Social ahead of the engagement. 

"I look forward to meeting the new Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney," the president posted.

"I very much want to work with him, but cannot understand one simple TRUTH — Why is America subsidizing Canada by $200 Billion Dollars a year, in addition to giving them FREE Military Protection, and many other things?" he asked.

"We don’t need their Cars, we don’t need their Energy, we don’t need their Lumber, we don’t need ANYTHING they have, other than their friendship, which hopefully we will always maintain. They, on the other hand, need EVERYTHING from us! The Prime Minister will be arriving shortly, and that will be, most likely, my only question of consequence," Trump added.

But Carney is no wallflower. The former banker-turned-PM has already made it clear he won’t be bullied into selling off the Great White North.

"As I've been warning for months," Carney told supporters in Ottawa, "America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country — never. But these are not idle threats, President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us — that will never, that will never ever happen. But we also must recognize the reality that our world has fundamentally changed."

Body language expert breaks down Donald Trump's meeting with Mark Carney

Body language expert Beth Dawson clocked every flicker and flinch as the two leaders met on the steps of the White House.

"Mark Carney approaches President Trump with his head slightly inclined forward and initiates a handshake, simultaneously placing a hand on Trump’s elbow," she told CTV News. "The forward head position suggests assertiveness, yet also shows a subtle note of submission: Carney appears somewhat apprehensive." 

Speaking of that little elbow touch, Dawson said, "It shows that he wants to establish a connection on equal terms. His expression is one of determination. Carney is not passive, but he is also careful not to come across as overly forceful, and he does seem slightly intimidated."

According to Dawson, Carney's posture was carefully calibrated. "His posture reflects respect for the encounter, though he is evidently intent on not being dominated. The subtle tilt of his head reveals a degree of deference," she said.

Meanwhile, Trump was playing his own old-school dominance game. While Carney touches Trump’s elbow, Trump "raises his right shoulder," which Dawson explained as "a classic dominance signal."

She added, "Trump’s posture is initially slightly stooped, indicating a welcoming stance, but shortly thereafter, he makes a subtle shift to stand more upright and raises his fist in a defiant gesture, an unmistakable display of dominance. Throughout, Carney maintains a fixed smile and steady eye contact."

But once the cameras turned on, the nerves crept back in. Carney "clasps his hands in a self-soothing gesture and glances up at Trump for cues," she said. "Again, revealing a hint of unease. There is a visible, if restrained, sense that he is slightly intimidated in Trump’s presence."

Donald Trump floats Canada becoming the 51st state idea, Mark Carney shuts it down

Once inside the Oval Office, Donald Trump called the meeting "an honor" and even gave Mark Carney props for his election victory.

"I thought you were excellent [in the election race] and I think we have a lot of things in common," he told the newly minted PM.

But then, he couldn’t resist floating his dream merger — Canada as the 51st US state.

"I still believe [Canada could be the 51st] state, but it takes two to tango," Trump said. "It would really be a wonderful marriage because it’s two places that get along very well." 

Carney didn’t flinch, but he didn’t say yes either.

"As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale," the former banker shot back at the former property tycoon, likening Canada to the White House and the UK's Buckingham Palace. 

"Having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign in the last several months, it's not for sale. Won't be for sale, ever. But the opportunity is in the partnership," Carney added.

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