Trump calls Trudeau ‘two-faced’ after comments caught on video

President Donald Trump on Wednesday called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada “two-faced,” after a video surfaced that showed him venting to other world leaders about Trump’s behaviour at a NATO anniversary celebration designed specifically to avoid unwanted disruptions.

“Well, he’s two-faced,” the president said when asked about the video. After a long pause, he added, “He’s a nice guy. I find him to be a very nice guy.”

Trump, who was taking questions from reporters before a meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, attributed Trudeau’s frustration to the US leader’s pressure campaign to increase Canada’s military spending to 2% of its economic output.

“He should be paying more than he’s paying,” Trump said. “I called him out on that, and I’m sure he wasn’t happy about it, but that’s the way it is.”

The brief video showed grinning world leaders at a Buckingham Palace reception Tuesday night, apparently commiserating about the president.

In the video, which was posted online by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Trudeau seems to be discussing Trump’s behaviour during the first day of the two-day NATO meeting. Trump spoke to reporters for more than two hours in total Tuesday, which appeared to astonish Trudeau.

“He was late because he takes a 40-minute press conference at the top,” Trudeau says to a small group that includes President Emmanuel Macron of France, Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain, Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands and Princess Anne.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte ahead of the NATO summit, at a reception at Buckingham Palace in London, Britain December 3, 2019 in this still image taken from social media video. On-screen text provided at source. Power and Politics/CBC News via REUTERS

Trudeau does not mention Trump by name during the exchange, in which the Canadian leader appears to be discussing the day’s bilateral meetings.

“You just watch his team’s jaws drop to the floor,” Trudeau says at another point. Macron is also seen participating animatedly in the conversation, but his comments cannot be heard. Johnson is seen smiling.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte chat ahead of the NATO summit, at a reception at Buckingham Palace in London, Britain December 3, 2019 in this still image taken from social media video. On-screen text provided at source. Power and Politics/CBC News via REUTERS

None of the world leaders seem to realise that the conversation is being recorded. By the afternoon, some of the participants were seeking to distance themselves from the perceived criticism of Trump.

During a news conference, Johnson claimed that he had not been party to any discussion about Trump.

“That’s complete nonsense, and I don’t know where that has come from,” he said. “I really don’t know what is being referred to there.”

President Donald Trump speaks with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada as Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, right, arrives during a NATO leaders meeting at The Grove hotel and resort in Watford, Great Britain on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2019. (Al Drago/The New York Times)

The hot-mic incident was not the only moment that upended hopes for a drama-free NATO gathering.

On Tuesday, Macron put Trump on the defensive during a tense 45-minute appearance in which he aggressively challenged the US president’s vision for NATO and his handling of a military conflict involving Turkey. For Trump, it was a rare face-to-face meeting with another world leader in which he was not driving the conversation.

It was also not the first time that Trump and Trudeau have publicly clashed, or that Trump has accused Trudeau of misrepresenting himself. Last year, Trump derided the Canadian leader as “very dishonest and weak” after Trudeau pledged at a Group of 7 summit in Quebec City that he would retaliate against US tariffs on steel and aluminium products. Trump wrote on Twitter at the time that Trudeau had acted “so meek and mild” when they met face to face.

Later in the morning, Trump politely shook hands and exchanged a few words with Trudeau before the general meeting of NATO leaders. Trump also wrote on Twitter that he had “enjoyed my meeting with the Prime Minister @BorisJohnson of the United Kingdom at @10DowningStreet last night,” noting that the two had discussed “numerous subjects including @NATO and Trade.”

In addition to Trump’s meeting with Merkel, he was scheduled to hold meetings with the prime ministers of Denmark and Italy, and to participate in a working lunch with representatives of Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Britain.

©2019 The New York Times Company