Trudeau downplays hot mic incident and touts ‘excellent relationship’ with Trump

“I have a very productive and positive relationship with Mr. Trump,” he said. “We will continue to have an excellent relationship.”

The previous night, Trudeau was caught on a hot mic musing on the lengthy impromptu press conference held by Trump in which he called a comment by French President Emmanuel Macron “nasty.”

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked Trudeau if he was late because of Trump’s long-winded event.

“He was late because he takes a 40-minute press conference off the top,” Trudeau said to Johnson, Macron, and Princess Anne. “You just watched his team’s jaws drop to the floor.”

Trudeau said the comment about the jaws dropping was a response to the unplanned nature of the press conference and news that next year’s G-7 would be held at Camp David.

“We had a great meeting yesterday between me and the president. Last night I made a reference to the fact there was an unscheduled press conference before my meeting with President Trump. I was happy to take part in it but it was certainly notable,” Trudeau said Wednesday.

“We were all surprised and, I think, pleased to learn that the next G-7 will be at Camp David. I think that was an unscheduled announcement,” he said. “I think every different leader has teams who every now and then their jaws drop at unscheduled surprises, like that video itself, for example.”

In a Wednesday press conference, Trump called Trudeau “two-faced” for his remarks. Trump also canceled a previously scheduled press conference.

“When today’s meetings are over, I will be heading back to Washington. We won’t be doing a press conference at the close of NATO because we did so many over the past two days. Safe travels to all!” Trump tweeted.