A White House meeting meant to strengthen U.S.-Canada trade relations took a sharp turn Tuesday when President Donald Trump mocked transgender people in front of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose child identifies as nonbinary.
The Oval Office meeting, held in the presence of reporters, was originally designed to highlight economic cooperation between the two nations. But according to The Independent, it “devolved into a political rally disguised as a routine press availability,” with Trump steering the discussion toward his trademark culture war themes.
Speaking forcefully beside Carney, Trump boasted that under his leadership, “We have strong borders. We have no men in women’s sports. We’re not going to take your child away and change the sex of your child.”
The president went on to claim Democrats had left the U.S. “a dead country” filled with “men playing in women’s sports and transgender for everybody and windmills all over the place.”
His remarks, typical of his recent campaign-style appearances, reinforced a political message that has become central to his reelection push — one centered on opposing transgender rights and criticizing progressive social policies.
Prime Minister Carney, who remained composed and silent throughout the exchange, avoided public confrontation. The moment highlighted the delicate diplomatic balance between both nations. Canada sends over 77% of its exports to the U.S., and the North American trade agreement — shared with Mexico — is due for review next year.
Carney’s restraint appeared deliberate, reflecting Canada’s interest in maintaining stable economic relations amid a politically charged environment.
Carney and his wife, economist Diana Fox Carney, have four children, one of whom identifies as nonbinary. In 2019, The New Haven Register profiled their child, Sasha Carney, a Yale student who uses they/them pronouns and described the sense of relief that came with being recognized beyond the gender binary.
That personal context added a layer of sensitivity to Trump’s remarks — a moment that observers say underscored the growing clash between conservative populism in the U.S. and progressive policies embraced by allies like Canada.
Since returning to office, Trump has taken several actions aimed at restricting transgender recognition at the federal level. Shortly after inauguration, he signed an executive order asserting that transgender people “don’t exist” under federal law.
He has also linked transgender rights to unrelated political controversies, blaming “transgender operations for everybody” for the recent government shutdown. In separate meetings this year, Trump has mocked trans athletes — including one with El Salvador’s president, where he asked if the country allowed “men to box your women.”
These repeated public comments have drawn strong criticism from human rights advocates and foreign diplomats, who say they undermine U.S. credibility on civil rights issues globally.
As Trump continues to merge policy discussions with his culture war rhetoric, the fallout from this Oval Office meeting may deepen existing tensions between Washington and Ottawa and amplify concerns about the future of LGBTQ rights under his administration.
