President Trump took time during comments to the U.S. Naval Air Base in Italy on Saturday to compliment other world leaders, referring for the second time in a month to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “Justin from Canada.”
Speaking about a nearby helicopter, Trump speculated that it might be Japan’s “Prime Minister Abe” or “Justin from Canada,” meaning Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“Great people,” he said. “We made a lot of good friends this week, I’ll tell you, a lot of good friends. They’re good people.”
Trump previously referred to Trudeau as “Justin from Canada” in an interview with Bloomberg earlier this month, referring to negotiations on NAFTA.
“I like them both a lot,” Trump said at the time, speaking of the leaders of Canada and Mexico.
Twitter users have since taken to the social media platform to comment on the president’s nickname for his Canadian counterpart.
We already have one too many “Justin from Canada” in this country https://t.co/mq6itay9RK
— Ben McDonald (@Bmac0507) May 27, 2017
“Our next caller is Justin from Canada. Justin you’re on with Donald Trump
Donald TrumpTrump returns to White House after first trip abroad White House: Trump trip left no doubt ‘who America’s friends are’ Trump ‘willing to deal well’ with France, says Macron MORE, what’s your question?” https://t.co/5Aeh3olBqY
— David McGuffin (@mcguffindavid) May 27, 2017
Justin from Canada pic.twitter.com/CTpOwsrLlS
— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) May 27, 2017
Trump was speaking on Saturday to military service members and their families at the U.S. Naval Air Base in Signoella, Italy after the Group of 7 (G7) summit in Italy. The stop was one of Trump’s last during his first trip abroad as president.
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In addition to meeting with Trudeau and Abe, Trump met with several other foreign counterparts, including newly-elected French President Emmanuel Macron, reportedly asking for his cell phone number.
While the president claimed he met with “a lot of good friends” while he was abroad, tensions were apparent among the G7 partners.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters the group had an “intense meeting” regarding the Paris climate accords, where all six other nations “made it clear that we want the U.S. to stick to its commitments.”
While Trump has yet to make a decision on his official stance on the climate deal, the president refused to take part in a pledge supporting the deal along with the other G7 nations.