Mark Carney told Donald Trump that Canada is “not for sale” as the president raises the country’s prospects to become the 51st state in the U.S. while welcoming the Prime Minister to the White House.

Carney won the election last month, promising to "stand up" Trump, who imposed tariffs on some Canadian products and sometimes talked about annexation of the country.

The former central banker responded in a corporate but measured tone after the president proposed to include Canada in the U.S. “Good Marriage.”

Despite the tensions between neighbors who have recently been closed, the two men were largely a kind Oval Office meeting and praised each other.

Trump imposed a 25% universal tariff on cars on import taxes on Canada and Mexico and specific sectors, some of which have been suspended, awaiting negotiations.

The U.S. president accused Canada of not enough to stop the flow of fentanyl in the south, levied similar duties on steel and aluminum.

Tuesday's meeting was the first time the two met since Carney won the Canadian election on April 28, with many winning over Trump in the country.

But the two leaders began with enthusiastic words, and Trump described Carney as “a very talented person.”

He also praised the guest's election victory, which was "one of the greatest comebacks in political history, even bigger than mine."

Carney said Trump was a "transformative president" with "relentless attention to American workers, ensuring your borders and ensuring the world", and said he had "revitalized" NATO.

But when Trump argues again that Canada will be better as part of the United States.

Carney responded with a carefully wording.

"You know from real estate, there are places that have never been sold," he told tycoon Trump, likening Canada itself to the Buckingham Palace in the UK to the Oval Office.

"In the past few months, meeting with Canadian owners during the campaign, it's not for sale. It's never for sale."

Trump replied: "Never say forever."

When an Oval Office reporter asked Carney if he could convince him to raise tariffs, U.S. leaders tracked their own red lines.

"No," he replied. "That's it."

"It's a very friendly conversation," he added. "But we want to build our own cars."

Trump once again argued that the United States is subsidizing Canadian military and does not need Canadian goods such as aluminum and steel.

He said he and Carney would discuss “hard views” at the meeting, but “we will be friends with Canada anyway.”

Trump also criticized the visitor's former Justin Trudeau, who had an adversarial relationship with him.

He said the meeting with Kahni was in stark contrast to another recent Oval Office "explosion", a disastrous visit to Ukrainian President Vorodomie Zelensky in February.

It is worth noting that Trump has also downplayed the prospects of a trade deal, although his administration repeatedly pointed out what the White House said is that more than 80 countries want negotiations as a sign of progress.

"Everyone said, 'When, when, when to sign a deal?" Trump said. "We don't have to sign a deal, they have to sign a deal with us. They want a part of our market. We don't want our own market."

Carney said he "imposed a case against Trump" to raise tariffs and found he was "willing to negotiate."

"I think that's the main thing. It's not on the outcome of the negotiations," Carney added at a press conference at the Canadian Embassy in Washington, D.C. "There will be twists and turns and Zags. It's difficult. But the prospects exist."

Carney didn’t speculate on the timing, just saying that leaders and their team would speak again in the next few weeks.

In addition, Carney also said he once again asked Trump to stop calling for Canada to become a U.S. state. He added that he believes it is important to distinguish between “wishes and reality.”

"He is the president. He is his own person," Carney said. "He knows we are negotiating between sovereign states."

During the campaign in Canada, Carney argued that he was the leader who could fight Trump’s “betrayal” and opposed our threat to Canada’s economy and sovereignty.

In his victory speech, the liberal leaders even said that previously tight U.S.-Canadian relations have “end” and that Canadians must “fundamentally reimagine our economy” in the Trump era.

Last year, more than $760 billion (£570 billion) of goods were made between Canada and the United States. Canada is the second largest personal trading partner after Mexico and the largest export market for U.S. goods.