Kellyanne Conway claims Trudeau and Trump are meeting next week, but PMO says not true

During an on-air interview today with CNN’s Jake Tapper, senior White House advisor Kellyanne Conway said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is slated to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington DC soon.

“I’m glad that the Prime Minister of Canada is coming here next year, next week, excuse me,” said Conway on CNN. “I’m sure they’ll talk about that, if he’s coming soon, as I understand.”

This would go against a longstanding tradition dating back to the 192os of US Presidents making Canada their first official state visit. This was only interrupted by President George W. Bush, who visited the USA’s southern neighbour, Mexico, first before flying North. The tradition was only restored by Barrack Obama during a trip to Ottawa that lasted a few hours.

But Conway’s statement on the confirmed meeting was quickly contradicted by the Prime Minister’s Office, which stated earlier this afternoon that no such meeting has been confirmed.

“We are continuing to have constructive conversations, but no date to confirm at this stage,” Press Secretary Cameron Ahmed told Daily Hive.

.@jaketapper: You want to talk about ignoring terrorism? Why hasn’t the President offered his sympathy to our neighbors in the North? pic.twitter.com/Km426sl0mX

— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) February 7, 2017

The day after the shooting at the mosque in Quebec City, US press secretary Sean Spicer told media that Trump called Trudeau to provide his condolences and offer his support.

But there was no public acknowledgement, not even a tweet, on the attack, which killed six Muslims and injured a number of others as they were peacefully praying.

The president has commented on recent terror attacks committed by Islamic extremists, including the recent attack at the Louvre in Paris. The alleged perpetrator of the Quebec City attack, however, is white and reportedly has far-right, nationalist views.

“He’s sympathetic to any loss of life. It’s completely senseless and it needs to stop regardless of who is lodging the attack,” said Conway when questioned on CNN by Tapper on why Trump did not publicly comment about the Quebec City attack.

But Tapper countered, saying: “He tweeted when there was a attack at the Louovre museum when nobody was killed. I don’t understand why he wouldn’t tweet when six Canadian citizens were murdered.”

“The undercover document the White House distributed last night also did not mention any attacks other than those committed by Muslim terrorists. Obviously, radical Islamic terrorism is a big problem, but there are all sorts of horrific terrorism that take place.”