Why should anyone believe ANYTHING that comes out of Trump's mouth?
8
He now lies about lying about his lies...if you get my drift. That signals a special kind of dementia, one encased in delusion. He doesn't need to remember things he has forgotten. He just has to make them up whenever he wishes to do so. How will such a disordered mind work in a really dangerous crisis? Likely, it won't at all, because he won't really know he's in one and if he does recognize that, he can just invent an alternative reality that suits his personal needs better. Press the button dude and you will get room service.
7
Hopefully, this Oval Office freak show will end in 2020, if not sooner. To our good neighbors in Canada, we apologize. Know that we, the majority of Americans (Trump actually lost the popular vote by 2.8 million) appreciate your patience and understanding as we go through this. We especially appreciate your sense of humor. I loved Mr. Pronovost's understated description of Trump's "creativity with facts." Again, this will hopefully be over by 2020. In the meantime we should all pray for the continued good health of Robert Mueller and his work.
7
We are Canadian we are not dumb as stumps. Most of us are well educated and have been weaned on American and Canadian culture.
Trump plays to a base that might not be voting in their best interests or else they would realize how much damage Trump can do to both our economies with his claims of deficits and wanting to blow up NAFTA.
14 million American jobs are on the line and that is from US sources.
8
Why do conservatives, especially the religious right, want such an immoral and mean President?
12
There's a Times article from a couple of years ago where Trump's butler at his mansion in Florida was interviewed. In the article Trump was quoted about speaking the truth, he says, "who cares?" I hope someone at the Times will dig it up and republish it. It's worth the read.
8
"Making things up" is what this president and his administration are best suited for...
5
Well, it's pretty clear that Trump thinks that dealing with others is all a game. He's not a true believer in anything other than himself. Policy positions are there only to win people over to his side. Evidence and facts are an irrelevant consideration.
14
It is a good thing for the export-dominated Canadian economy to aggressively seek non-U.S. markets for its’ goods & services. No economy is well positioned when 75% of its’ exports go to only one customer (the U.S.) and it’s high time for Canadian industry to take the tougher road of seeking new, more distant, & more reliable customers. When 75% of your business comes from one customer the question of who owns who becomes moot.
9
Many people didn't vote for Trump because they trusted him but rather because he was the least worst of bad choices. His statements on bad trade deals were echoed by Sanders. There is popular support across America from both parties to address unfair deals which allow our trading partners to tax or bar American goods while allowing the free flow of subsidized foreign goods into the USA. We have given tax benefits to American businesses for closing factories and moving them to other countries. Flawed as he is, Trump speaks against these policies.
But lets be honest, the number one reason Trump is opposed is his stand on immigration. The Democrats and many mainstream Republicans stand for open borders while Trump says he stands for reducing legal immigration and enforcing immigration laws. His opponents say he is stopping us from moving forward and wants to go backward. What does that really mean? Today, 25% of all children born in the USA have immigrant parents. Democrats believe that is too little. As crazy as it sounds, if America were to follow the Democratic immigration policies, in 100 years we could have more people in the United States than there will be in China. Trump isn't my choice because he is thoughtful and articulate. He is my choice because his opponents are worse.
With such a grossly uneducated population--where down is up, the worst is the best, America is #1, and so on--the only hope for the US is immigration. To close its door to the best and brightest and rely instead on a people stupefied by propaganda and provincialism is to court a disaster worse than the current situation.
8
It seems you voted for Trump on an anti-globalization basis. If so, would you have voted for Bernie Sanders over Trump?
1
Acting (slightly) baffled was the most polite response.
8
Here is a new flash: President Trump lies when negotiating with other countries. Surely, we all knew that. Surely the leader of every other nation knows that. Surely, they are holding that against Trump and the USA?
When you take a highly visible position and you lie, cheat and steal, people will notice this. There are a lot of smart people in the world. Apparently Trump is not one of them.
5
Like any good real estate man, which Trump is a master, will say anything to force the deal his way. You cannot trust a word the man says. And the more he continues to surround himself with yes men, the harder it will be for foreign dignitaries to deal with our government hoping to get the true intent from them.
6
Read as follows: Trump is working overtime to discredit the quality of the US government. His purpose is to completely wreck everything built to date: our diplomatic institutions, our relationships with our allies (and our foes), our consumer protections, our regulatory apparatus, our ability to levy taxes, our safety nets, etc. Everything. It is all up for grabs. Wave it goodbye.
Those remaining that form his base are the omitted, the disenfranchised, the cynical, the victimizers, the mega-corporations who are tired of having to serve the regulatory regime, and the sly opportunists who can make a buck by bilking the credulous.
This is a massive failure and will lead to tragedy. And the guarantees that leave him in place are: His replacement would be a man who lives in a fantasy world of religious law. And the man who would replace *him* is a moron who thinks Ayn Rand's fatuous ideas had any merit whatsoever.
It's not enough to impeach him. But we have to wait this out. Meantime, get active. Fight back.
Remember GW Bush? He was Trump lite. That was the dress rehearsal. This guy and his cronies could take the whole country down.
Is there any question remaining that he is in Putin's pocket?
24
How much longer are world leaders even going to bother to talk to Trump? He's just admitted that he will lie on a whim (not that that is any surprise now), and they all know his positions can change in an instant (and that they don't necessarily correspond to the positions of anyone else in the administration). So why waste the time? or is this like visiting your senile aunt, and smiling through her babbling, in hopes that you will still be in the will? (i.e., that he won't actually declare war on you).
22
Can't see the point for any head of state to attempt to negotiate with an administration that is so capricious, has so little regard for facts, and lies about everything. It's like negotiating with a toddler. Isn't it about time that friends of the USA launch an intervention? Just put your foot down and say, "Enough of this nonsense." Bring me an adult to talk to.
13
Just a few hours ago special Counsel Mueller has subpoenaed the Trump Organization to turn over documents, including some related to Russia.
This is great news for sane Americans and for Canadians as well who would like him out of the picture and not to suffer anymore from his moronic tweets and persona.
6
Yes, but as one of the posters here mentioned in an earlier comment...look at who his potential replacements could be! So, don't be too eager to start the celebration of Trump's potential removal. As disturbing as it may sound...the cure may well be worse than the disease...
3
Trump is going to fire Sessions and replace him with Pruitt, who won't even need an Senate confirmation. Pruitt will then, on Trumps orders, shut down the Mueller inquiry. Then Trumps new National Security Advisor, John Bolton will deliver the Reichstag Fire Trump needs in the form of war with North Korea or Iran (take your pick) and then maybe because of the National Emergency, the mid term elections get postponed, or if they happen, they happen in full Russian style. There are no 18th century checks and balances that can save the American republic from this. It will end when 2 million people are willing to occupy Pennsylvania Avenue until the perpetrators of this coup and their enablers are driven out. And by the way, we actually have other countries that we can trade with while you sort out your problems.
1
I can't say I speak for all Canadians when I say this, but I'd be willing to endure a little bit of economic hardship if it meant Trump would realize that he cannot lie, con and cheat his way to a trade advantage with Canada.
14
I can't speak for all Americans, but I am not alone in being willing to accept a little bit of economic hardship if it meant Trump would realize he cannot lie, con and cheat his way to ANY policy
5
Yet Trump will suffer no consequences until maybe 2020. I still can't fathom how millions of people voted for this man and still continue to support him. I just makes absolutely no sense to me. I mean someone who is unscrupulous and wealthy I can at least understand (but not respect)....I mean he did deliver them huge tax cuts when making everyone else pay for it long term. But if you are not wealthy it just baffles the mind.
6
To understand how any adult could act this way, I found it very helpful to read "Trump Revealed," the 2016 biography by the Wash Post team: the bankruptcies, the terrible business decisions and overreaching, the reality TV circus, the formative mentorship of Trump by Roy Cohn, and so on. The bizarre behavior we see now is was completely predictable; it's consistent with, and explainable by, all of his previous life. Clearly, he's never going to be any more presidential than he is right now. Believe me.
8
The economic illiteracy is really sad. Trade, by definition, always balances. Value is exchanged for equal value or trade would not occur. Nations don't trade, individuals trade. The notion of a "trade deficit" between nations is a fabrication by Keynesians to justify government intervention in free markets.
4
I can't say I'm a big fan of PM selfie and hollow platitude, but whenever a world leader makes a dilettante like Justin Trudeau look good, there should be serious pause for thought. As for Trump spreading misinformation, Americans have already experienced it for a quarter century with Fox News. What's scary is that quite a few Canadians want that nonsense broadcast here---yikes!
4
Yes because Stephen Harper was soo much better...Alberta huh?
1
This is just so painful. He shouldn’t be allowed to talk to anyone or make any decisions.
25
If Trump were Trudeau, you can just imagine the argument he'd have gotten into with himself! It is a thankful thing Mr. Trudeau doesn't rise to being baited. But the most surprising thing to most Americans is how much more vulnerable Canadians are to a Trump than you are. Certainly Republicans are bending over backwards to accommodate Trumpie, which blows away a lot of your protections, but if Trudeau were Trump he'd have the power in Canada to appoint a drug lord to head up the RCMP (national police force) - no kidding, there are no constraints. Can you imagine how much of a mess you guys would be in if you had our lack of protections? And it isn't like we don't need better protections. We are starting to get the same kind of scary people being elected as you. Ever heard of Toronto's crack-crazed mayor Rob Ford? His not so nice brother has a good chance to become Ontario's next premier, and he too attacks the news media all the time. Social ills are contagious when folks are in close contact. Meanwhile, we need to fix Canadian democracy which is far more vulnerable than you are.
5
The prospect of Doug Ford as premier of Ontario should shake Canadians out of our sense of smugness, which I deem our worst character trait. That said, I find the possibility troubling, insofar as it would represent an expression of an negative American populist influence on Canadian life. I can't say I like how Stephen Harper brought in fixed election dates as an ode to American populism---bring back Westminster rules at federal, provincial and territorial levels please.
In terms of culture, I still think Canadians are more imbued with a sense that we're part of something bigger than Americans, based on observations while traveling in the USA on an annual basis. Given how I like traveling to America, and generally get along quite well with our southern neighbors, I can only hope Americans increasingly become more like Canucks, Aussies and Kiwis.
6
If Americans don't get what Charles is referring to, it's Canada's majoritarian parliamentary system inherited from the UK: no checks & balances. When a party & its leader (a prospective Cdn Prime Minister [PM] or provincial Premier) win a controlling majority of representatives in the legislature, their government can pretty much promulgate any legislation or bureaucratic decree they want until the verdict of voters in the next election.
The only thing guarding against abuse is convention and consensus — the Brits originally envisioned the PM as 'first among equals' in the govt's Cabinet (all fellow legislators from that particular party), but our leaders are steadily getting more presidential & centralizing power in an extra-parliamentary Prime Minister's Office (PMO), very much like the West Wing.
Canada's previous PM, the Conservative Stephen Harper, was frequently accused of being dictatorial because of the way he disregarded tradition and steamrolled any opposition with his last majority government. The voters finally got rid of him but Canada remains susceptible to unscrupulous populists who don't play by the rules — the downfall of Turkey, Poland & Hungary, all now run by illiberal regimes that used parliamentary majorities to usurp democracy.
8
Maybe it would be better all around for everyone, and worth the tax dollars to let trump spend Monday through Friday at Mar-A-Lago playing golf, watching TV, tweeting to Fox, etc., letting him play president only on week-ends.
Our "very stable genius" could relax his "very good brain", and the rest of us could get some much needed relief from all this winning. It has completely worn me out.
21
Well of course Trump is throwing Canada under the bus! The Founder and Glorious Leader of Trumpistan has one true ally, Russia. Those allies of the old USA are not friends to Trumpistan. So why be surprised?
8
Just the latest example of Trump’s Borderline Personality Disorder. Why is nobody calling it what it is? He can’t change. He can’t control himself. His pathologic behavior can only be contained if he is confronted immediately when he lies with unrelenting commands to tell the truth.
11
Canada, don't be baffled. He is a pathological liar. He is incapable of knowing fact from his self concocted fiction. The only number associated with him that is larger than his 'misspeaks and missteps' is the number of genuine lies fueled by ignorance, animus and contempt for people smarter than himself.
13
Canada has one of the classiest people in its history as the national leader.
We are in the opposite situation.
32
You might want to pay more attention to Canada's past and history. As to the classiest people in history who knows? Canada has people, who are no better or worse than others. As with everything, there is the good, the bad and the in-between...
The other night he was on Anderson Cooper saying Trump is a man of his word.
I think that is Canadian for "let's get NAFTA done before Trump does something irrational like more tariffs."
1
Hang in there Canada....we'll see you on the other side.
30
The cost to listen to Trump in St Louis yesterday was $35, 000. The entire transcript includes a nearly insane remark about dropping a bowling ball 20 feet onto the hood of a car as a test. It isn't easy to make sense of Trump's 'thinking'. The remark was likely a gross lie about car import standards. Trump is guilty of gross lying on any given day. He rarely admits it however. I suppose the audience got 35K's worth of theater, but not very good Pirandello.
When my mother plunged into dementia 7 years ago, I'd interpret her rambling remarks. She no longer distinguished the present from the far distant past, though I could discern her meaning. The entire monologue given by Trump, including this terrible affront to PM Trudeau, was very like a person with dementia.
How will this reckless liar guide our country in the months to come? I believe my mother might do a better job, dementia notwithstanding.
28
Prime Minister Trudeau - all Americans are so sorry for this. Please don't judge us by Trump the Liar.
38
Lying in general is offensive; lying to a friend like Canada is exceptionally offensive, but BOASTING about that lie in public is not only wildly offensive but just plain stupid as well. Stupid and counterproductive: what can he possibly think he's gained? Nothing; he doesn't seem to think; he just reveals himself at every moment to be an offensively evil moron (thanks Rex) and notorious clown. This clown-car administration seems to continue at ever rising speed up some tortuous mountain path to... I dare not think where.
God help us all.
52
Right - if you don't know anything, just make something up and speak with confidence....This only goes so far as the assumption that no one else knows anything either. But it is more difficult when one is speaking with an intelligent and informed person who can not only see through the subterfuge, but knows facts to rebuff it.
This is not acceptable behavior for anyone. Come on Republican patriots in Congress - you are the ones with the power to confront this continuing "White House problem."
17
Liar liar liar.
The shaming of our great country by this moron never stops.
24
My apologies to Prime Minister Trudeau and all Canadians for the ignorance, incompetence and arrogance exhibited by Russia's viceroy in the United States. He is an embarrassment but more to the point he is a threat to our good relations not only with Canada but to much of the rest of the world. We would appreciate your tolerance, much as you might for a time tolerate the neighbor with Alzheimer's who walks into your kitchen to raid your refrigerator, then berates you for not having his favorite mustard. Eventually the intrusion gets tiresome but please recognize President Trump suffers from a mental deficiency or illness of some kind and we have yet to find the appropriate medication. As a Republican I regret that but even more regret the most effective, if drastic, solution is to isolate him in a secure facility where his delusions do minimal damage and his subservience to Russia can be limited to letting him write "I love Vlad" on the walls with a crayon. Pierre Trudeau noted living next door to the United States is not easy and I am sorry Justin Trudeau has to be exposed to the same pain as his father. Indeed Donald Trump is an outstanding example of (1) all candidates for national public office in the US should be required to pass a civics exam and (2) why estate taxes should be so high heirs must actually work for a living. Meanwhile, as recompense for the boorishness our president could we perhaps offer you Point Roberts in Washington state? It should be Canadian.
65
Baffling? Wake up and look at the list of 100’s of lies about every topic possible that Trump has made! Read that or watch the daily lies and his “House of liars” the GOP.
26
Wait, what? Our President Trump made something up and said it to the leader of Canada? How can that be? Oh wait, what was i thinking since that fits perfectly with his erratic behavior, other endless lies, vicious personal attacks on anyone he chooses be it, prior Presidents, Democrats in office, Democrats in mid term election, foreign leaders if anyone that strikes a chord in his mad hatter head. He’s nuts. Let’s remember when he lies that we are aware of his quod pro quo diplomacy laced with connection to Trump family business, his possible violations of the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution, his obstruction of justice, collusion and history of unrelenting blatant lies on his campaign trail and in office. He’ll make anything up and the absolute list of factual lies is easily found. There’s no question he’s a liar.
14
Not at all surprising, but still frightening. What is going to make up in his talks with North Korea?
How could we as a nation have been so stupid as to elect this dolt to the highest office? How can so many still support a man who lies and makes things up when 100% of those people would be fired if they did that on their jobs, and they would fire any underling who did it to them?
20
“We do have a Trade Deficit with Canada, as we do with almost all countries (some of them massive). P.M. Justin Trudeau of Canada, a very good guy, doesn’t like saying that Canada has a Surplus vs. the U.S. (negotiating), but they do … they almost all do … and that’s how I know!”
Double down Donnie is going to go down - bragging about lying and then lying some more is his trademark, aka pathetic insecure LIAR.
13
When someone brags about lying and is caught on tape doing so, is it really that hard to use the word "lie" in describing the act?
19
Way to go Donnie! Lie to our Prime Minister, threaten to rip up treaties, and insult your closest neighbour and longest ally. Justin's not stupid.
We are not amused.
Informal poll of friends and relatives suggests that a lot of Canadians are boycotting some American products. The big one I've noticed is many are choosing to travel or vacation anywhere but the states. When two (2) of your biggest tourist towns suffer the largest mass shootings in American history, is it any wonder?
The damage that man is doing to the American brand is going take years to fix.
One more thing a little reminded to this nincompoop: after the trauma of the 9/11 attack, when everyone in the world especially, Canada, came to the aid and support of the USA. After a catastrophe like Trump I hope there is enough left of the world to forgive. They may just end up hating the US forever. Who would blame them?
42
If his lips are moving, lies will follow. This we know.
44
If the Canadians feel baffled by Trump, imagine how we Americans feel every day we wake up. Canadians just need to be happy and relieved that they don’t have Trump or a version of him.
52
No - we are scared that you have Trump. You people elected him - don't whine to us about it. He has turned America into a third class power and made you the laughing stock of the free world.
15
Please don't say "you people elected him." I didn't. No one I am friends with did. In fact, only a minority of voters elected him - and with Russian interference, we can't be sure and will never know. We are not whining to you. We are weeping and gnashing out teeth. We are supporting causes and candidates that stand in opposition to him. We are marching. We are sending him letters of disapproval daily or weekly.
6
It is a mystery to me ( and many others) why Trump's so called base tolerates his on going con-show. I do not know of anyone in my circle-friends, family, and co-workers- who would accept a liar and erratic madman like trump
4
I hope our allies just start ignoring us.
9
That's the problem. We just might ignore you when you need our help.
10
NATO has only invoked the collective security doctrine once. After 9/11
"The United States had a $12.1 deficit in the trade in goods with Canada in 2016."
If $12.1 is the total of the deficit, then Canada can put that right by buying in a couple of MAGA caps from the White House!
1
That won't work. The caps are made in China.
4
According to SNOPES caps sold through third parties are made in China while 'official" caps sold by 45's organization are made in S. California. Not a fan.
1
Trump's boasting about, and apparently smugly thinking he got over on Trudeau, is very disturbing. As if we needed any more proof, this latest news about Trump points to a serious maladaptive personality.
25
I don't know why the Canadians would see this as a slight. This ia a confirmation that Trump is truly unbalanced, which poses a much bigger problem than a slight.
7
They don't see it as a slight. They are not that naive.
Trudeau has been handling Trump with tact.
But he treats him a bit like a dangerous 5 yr old.
Don't underestimate the young Justin, he's more savvy that he appears. Lots of skilled conservatives found that out when he wiped them out at the last national election.
23
In other words, Trump just admitted to the world on news media microphones that he blatantly will lie about anything.
Honor and true friendship with our allies is beyond him.
50
I'm quite impressed - and a little embarrassed - by how the Canadians quoted here took Trump's boorish ignorance in stride. Canadians are like the gracious party hosts who smile and say "Oh, don't worry, it's fine." as you escort your loud, drunken date out the door. They want to believe we can do better, but they bite their tongues, hoping we'll figure it out for ourselves.
44
"The President is casually throwing Canada under the bus and this is just wrong.”
Mr. Trump has thrown his wife under the bus, his children under the bus. Women with whom was cheating on his wife also have been thrown under the bus. Mexicans have been thrown under the bus, and others from various scatologically-challenged countries have been thrown under the bus. Workers and corporations alike have been thrown under the bus. Vendors who have sold goods to the Trump organization, thrown under the bus. Students at Trump University, thrown under the bus. Allies and others alike, thrown under the bus. Mr. Tillerson, under the bus, along with most of those who worked for Mr. Trump in the White House. Indeed, most who have worked for Mr. Trump anywhere have been tossed under one bus or another. And that base of 37% that he said would stick by him if he shot people to death in front of Trump Tower? One hopes they have paid their insurance premiums for injuries obtained by being thrown under a bus, except that he's made it just about impossible to buy any sort of insurance. The only thing that is reliable about Mr. Trump is that if he hears about you, you will end up under some bus or another. That's all he knows how to do. God help those Republicans who work to enable him. We know that they, too, will end up under a bus, but at least, unlike Canada and most of the others thrown under all those buses, they will have deserved to be there.
41
The space under the bus is getting crowded, but being there is probably better than not. Excepting the paramours, most of the people under the bus are the people I'd choose to be with.
4
population of Canada is 36.29 million
population of California is 39.3 million
population of USA is 323.4 million
population of Mexico 127.5 million
As a Canadian it is exhausting to keep explaining why we can't buy as much as the States do.
66
We learned long ago to ignore about 90% of what Trump says. Maybe you should try it.
8
As the supposed leader of the free world, it's kind of hard to ignore his stupidity.
19
The UK expects to have a good trade deal with this man after Brexit.
5
Smoke and mirrors.
1
Please don’t hold your breath.
2
What a horrendous excuse for a president of the United States. The 2020 election can't come soon enough.
30
Can't we stop this now?
13