Hours before being called “two-faced,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with President Trump to explain the “context” surrounding a conversation caught on a hot microphone at this week’s NATO summit during which Trudeau and other world leaders are heard making fun of the American president.
“He was late because he takes a 40-minute press conference off the top,” Trudeau said Tuesday night during a reception at Buckingham Palace in London. “You just watched his team’s jaws drop to the floor.”
A video clip of the exchange went viral online overnight and made major headlines across the world Wednesday morning.
Early the next day, CNN reported, Trudeau met with Trump and explained what was said before and after the moment the clip shows but did not apologize for the incident.
During a gaggle with reporters later Wednesday afternoon, Trump called Trudeau “two-faced” before assuring media he and the Canadian leader have a good working relationship.
“And honestly with Trudeau, he’s a nice guy,” Trump said. “But the truth is I called him out on the fact he’s not paying 2% [in military spending], and I guess he’s not happy about it.”
Trudeau downplayed Trump’s “two-faced” comment and maintained that the two have an “excellent relationship.”
