President Donald Trump's adviser Stephen Miller was mocked online after he used a chess reference to heap praise onto Trump after his Oval office meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Canadian voters returned the Liberal Party to power for a fourth consecutive term after Trump repeatedly threatened Canadian sovereignty amid an ongoing trade war. Carney made defending Canada’s sovereignty a cornerstone of his campaign, pushing back forcefully against Trump’s threats to annex the country as “the 51st state.”
Carney's victory, political observers have noted, represents a stunning repudiation of Trumpism—but that seemed entirely lost on Miller, who said the following during a Fox News appearance:
"I had the pleasure of getting to be at the meeting today between the President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Canada. What I witnessed was like watching a grand master in chess perform."
"President Trump has opened up a completely new relationship with Canada because of his strength and because of his diplomacy."
You can hear what he said in the video below.
It sure sounded like Miller was complimenting Carney, however, as critics pointed out.
Even literal chess champion Garry Kasparov weighed in with a hilarious 1-word post:
Despite Trump’s remark that Canada would be “better off” as a U.S. state, Carney dismissed the idea outright: “Canada is not for sale.” He instead encouraged Trump to “work with [him]” on reducing tariffs and restoring cooperation.
Even though the U.S. imports more from Canada than it exports, the two countries have long benefited from a trade relationship rooted in sourcing raw materials and produce that aren’t widely available on both sides of the border.
Trump’s tariffs, however, are straining that relationship. Most Canadian goods entering the U.S. now face a 25% tariff if they don’t meet the terms of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement—the trade pact Trump signed during his first term. Steel, aluminum, vehicles, and auto parts are also subject to separate 25% duties.
Canada has responded in kind, imposing tariffs on about $43 billion worth of U.S. goods, from whiskey to sporting gear and appliances.
