Trump to Host Canadian PM Carney, Finland’s President Stubb; Congratulates Japan’s PM-in-Waiting

US President Trump will host Canadian PM Mark Carney and Finland’s President Alexander Stubb at the White House for working meetings. He also congratulated Japan’s PM-in-waiting, Sanae Takaichi, on her historic election as the first female leader.

Washington DC: US White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on Monday (local time) said that President Donald Trump will host Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and President of Finland, Alexander Stubb.

Leavitt, during her press briefing, also congratulated Japan's PM-in-waiting, Sanae Takaichi on her win.

"President Trump will be hosting the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney tomorrow for a working meeting here at the White House. On Thursday, the president will host his eighth cabinet meeting alongside his incredible team," Leavitt said.

"Also on Thursday afternoon, President Trump will host the president of Finland, Alexander Stubb, for a working meeting here at the White House," she added.

Leavitt conveyed Trump's wishes to Sanae on her win.

"The president also wanted me to relay his congratulations to Japan for electing their next prime minister, a highly respected person who also happens to be the first female to hold the position for our great ally," she said.

Meanwhile, Carney on May 6 bluntly told Trump in the Oval Office that Canada is "not for sale" after Trump repeated his assertion it should become the 51st state, ABC News reported.

"As you know from real estate, there are some places that are not for sale. And Canada is not for sale, it will never be for sale," Carney told Trump. “But the opportunity is in the partnership and what we can build together. And we have done that in the past.”

Trump, though, still didn't let go of the idea.

"Time will tell. It's only time. But I say never say never," Trump said in the tense exchange. "I've had many, many things that were not doable and they ended up being doable and only doable in a very friendly way," as per ABC News.

Trump on Monday described Japan's likely first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, as a “highly respected person of great wisdom and strength.”

In his brief social media post, without naming her, Trump congratulated Takaichi and the "incredible people of Japan" after the country's ruling party elected her as its new leader on Saturday.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed)