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Barack Obama met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for the first time since his presidency ended for a seemingly productive — and friendly — dinner at Montreal's Liverpool House. On June 6, Trudeau shared a picture from their meeting [3] and said they spoke about empowering future political leaders. In his caption, Trudeau wrote: "How do we get young leaders to take action in their communities? Thanks Barack Obama for your visit and insights tonight in my hometown."
The photo quickly swept through the internet and even garnered its own so-called Twitter moment [4]. Obama and Trudeau were famously close throughout Obama's presidency, and this recent meeting proves that their diplomatic and political relationship remains intact — despite Donald Trump's inauguration.
Obama and Trudeau's relaxed dinner also stands in sharp contrast to the Canadian PM's relationship with Trump, which has been fraught with tension. In January, Trudeau addressed Trump's travel ban [5] in a tweet that read, "To those fleeing persecution, terror and war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength." When the duo met in person in February, Trudeau sparked a wave of internet cheering for appearing to deftly dodge Trump's infamously aggressive handshake [6] — twice. And more recently, Trudeau said he was "deeply disappointed" [7] by the president's decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. The fact that Trudeau and Obama met to discuss engaging the next generation to take action in their communities also sent a not-so-subtle message about empowering a new wave of political leaders.
Tonight in Montreal, @BarackObama [8] and @JustinTrudeau [9] discussed their shared commitment to developing the next generation of leaders. pic.twitter.com/170ze83igl [10]
— The Obama Foundation (@ObamaFoundation) June 7, 2017 [11]