Donald Trump asks if Canada burnt down White House

Donald Trump

Canadians have reacted with dismay to reports US President Donald Trump questioned whether Canada burned down the White House during a call with Justin Trudeau. British forces did set fire to the presidential residence during the War of 1812 with the US. But Canada did not exist at the time - it was made up of British colonies.

"Didn't you guys burn down the White House?" Trump asked in a call with Trudeau over new tariffs. It is not clear if the comment was intended as a joke, but a report that it followed an exchange in which Trudeau asked how the US could justify the tariffs as a "national security" issue. "It is simply ridiculous to view any trade with Canada as a national security threat to the US," Trudeau has said of the move.

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