The Latest on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to the White House on Thursday for a meeting with President Barack Obama and a state dinner (all times local):
4:15 p.m.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he was honored to meet with congressional leaders during a tour of the Capitol.
After a private meeting with a bipartisan group of senators Thursday, Trudeau walked to the House side of the Capitol, where he met with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California.
Trudeau told reporters before the meeting that he was pleased to be at the Capitol, “where so much gets done, and so much gets done that affects Canada, whether they realize it or not!”
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3:30 p.m.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has continued his tour of Washington with a visit to the Capitol, where he is to meet separately with House and Senate leaders.
First up: A private meeting in the ornate Strom Thurmond Room with a bipartisan group of senators, including the Senate’s No. 2 Republican, John Cornyn of Texas and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was scheduled to attend, but canceled. A spokesman says McConnell had a last-minute schedule change.
Trudeau is then scheduled to walk a few yards over to the House side of the Capitol, where he iss to meet with House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California.
The House is not in session this week. Speaker Paul Ryan is in his home state of Wisconsin.
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3:10 p.m.
Who would you rather hang out with: two colleagues you see all the time, or Canada’s dreamy prime minister?
Sen. Amy Klobuchar opted Thursday for the latter.
The Minnesota Democrat and other senators held a news conference about legislation to boost anti-drug programs. After praising the bill, Klobuchar announced other business was beckoning, though she didn’t seem upset about it.
“I would love to stay with my colleagues, but maybe they’re not, look, quite like Justin Trudeau, who I get to go see at the State Department,” Klobuchar said. “But they’re good-looking all the same.”
The senators she left behind took it in stride, sort of.
“I think we just got thrown under the bus. Under the Canadian bus,” said Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.
“Justin takes the town by storm,” said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio.
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11:40 a.m.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (troo-DOH’) says he’s looking forward to working with the next U.S. president — whoever it is.
After meeting with President Barack Obama, Trudeau took a question at White House news conference about the presidential campaign. The prime minister passed up the chance to criticize Republican candidates Donald Trump and Ted Cruz. Trudeau says he has “tremendous confidence” in the American people.
Trudeau says it’s clear that the friendship and relationship between the U.S. and Canada will remain strong after the election and beyond that. He’s praising Obama as a man with “tremendous heart and tremendous intellect.”
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11:35 a.m.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (troo-DOH’) says the U.S. and Canada can meet their climate change goals sooner than anticipated if they work together.
Trudeau made the comment at White House news conference with President Barack Obama after the prime minister’s first official visit to Washington.
Trudeau says he and Obama share a goal of a clean growth economy that provides jobs and opportunity to all citizens.
Trudeau says Canada’s friendship with the U.S. has been matched by “much hard work” that has allowed the two countries to “do great things” together.
He’s promoting new announcements about limiting methane emissions.
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11:20 a.m.
President Barack Obama is showering more praise on Canada’s young, liberal prime minister — a politician often compared to Obama.
Obama says he and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (troo-DOH’) share a “common outlook.” Obama says Trudeau also campaigned on hope and change, and is governing with inclusivity.
Obama’s assessment: “From my perspective, what’s not to like?”
The two leaders emerged from an Oval Office meeting to say there’s still one point of contention between them: hockey.
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10:15 a.m.
President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (troo-DOH’) have started their first Oval Office meeting.
The two leaders strolled into the Oval Office together following an elaborate White House arrival ceremony. Trudeau is in Washington for the first official visit by a Canadian prime minister in nearly two decades.
Obama and Trudeau shook hands but said little as reporters were briefly allowed in to the start of their meeting. The leaders plan to take questions at a news conference later in the morning.
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10:10 a.m.
Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau (troo-DOH’) is linking himself to President Barack Obama and the U.S. agenda.
Trudeau says his new, liberal government is promoting economic policies that resemble the Obama administration’s proposals. He says the two governments “share and are working on the exact same objectives.”
Trudeau is making the first official visit by a Canadian prime minister in nearly two decades.
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10 a.m.
President Barack Obama says the United States and Canada are steadfast allies and the closest of friends, and he can’t remember the last time Americans were so excited about the visit of a Canadian prime minister.
But Obama — at a White House arrival ceremony for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — also is cracking jokes about differences between the neighbors, such as which country has the best beer and who’s better at hockey.
“Where’s the Stanley Cup right now?” Obama joked, before answering his own question: The Chicago Blackhawks won it last year.
Trudeau points out that some of the top players on the team come from Canada.
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9:15 a.m.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, accompanied by his wife, Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau, has arrived at the White House for his first official visit.
An arrival ceremony is taking place on the South Lawn, where President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama greeted the 44-year-old liberal leader.
Others at the ceremony include Secretary of State John Kerry, national security adviser Susan Rice and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman.
The visit will include the first state dinner for a Canadian prime minister in nearly two decades.
The Obama administration says it hopes the visit will enhance close ties between the United States and Canada on economic, environmental and defense issues.
