In a heated exchange over new tariffs Trump is said to have asked Trudeau a question that Canadians have reacted to with dismay
WASHINGTON, U. S. – In a heated exchange over new tariffs, the U. S. President Donald Trump is said to have asked the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a question that Canadians have reacted to with dismay.
According to reports, during a telephonic conversation over new tariffs imposed by the U. S. on its key allies, Trump questioned Trudeau, whether Canada burned down the White House.
Trump asked Trudeau, “Didn’t you guys burn down the White House?”
While it is not clear if the comment was intended as a joke, a report noted that the question during the conversation was followed by an exchange in which Trudeau asked Trump to explain how the U. S. could justify the tariffs as a “national security” issue.
Discussions between the U. S. and its allies, including EU, Canada and Mexico have been heated over the last week after the U. S. imposed tariffs on steel and aluminium imports.
Commenting on the move last week, Trudeau said, “It is simply ridiculous to view any trade with Canada as a national security threat to the U. S.”
Meanwhile, experts were quick to point out that the White House was set on fire by British forces in 1814 during the War of 1812 with the U. S.
Maj Gen Robert Ross led British troops to attack and burn public buildings including the Capitol, Washington Navy Yard and the president’s mansion.
U. S. frustration at the British forcing American merchant sailors into the Royal Navy, along with trade restrictions on the U. S. is said to have caused the war.
The war was also caused by British support for Native Americans as they fought against the U. S. government’s westward expansion.
This was the only time in American history that a foreign power has captured and occupied Washington.
Meanwhile, experts also pointed out that at the time the incident Trump referred to took place, Canada did not even exist and was simply made up of British colonies.
Following reports that revealed the telephonic exchange between the two leaders, social media users trolled the U. S. President and some even left sarcastic comments.
For instance, New York Times correspondent Glenn Thrush joked that “some young Republican researcher is Googling frantically to see if any British-Canadian units did in fact participate.”
Another user wrote on Twitter, “Canada became a country in 1867. The War of 1812 was in… 1812.”
Yet another user said, “The War of 1812 is trending proving once again that 2018 is insane.”
Another user wrote mockingly, “Look on the bright side: At least [Trump] knows what the War of 1812 is and that during it, someone burnt down something.”
