President Obama and Prime Minister Trudeau: The 'Bromance' That Captivated Washington
The president and prime minister bonded over hockey, Justin Bieber and a baby.
— -- President Obama will be leaving office in just over 10 months, but it's not stopping him from making new friends on his way out.
Case in point was Thursday's state visit by newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, where the story line in Washington and on social media quickly turned towards the budding "bromance" between the two leaders.
The two actually had their first formal meeting at the APEC Summit in the Philippines, where Obama advised the young prime minister about the importance of maintaining the color of his hair while in office.
"I just want to point out that I had no grey hair when I was in your shoes seven years ago," Obama said. "And so if you don't want to grey like me, you need to start dying it soon."
The playful relationship picked up where it left off in the arrival ceremony, as Twitter went wild with the hashtag #TruBama after Obama plucked a baby from the rope line on the White House South Lawn to show Trudeau.
Obama and Trudeau then traded jabs on hockey, with Obama noting the NHL's Stanley Cup currently resides with his hometown team, the Chicago Blackhawks.
Trudeau responded by noting several of the team's star members were actually Canadian exports.
During the State Dinner toasts, both joked about the famous Canadian Justin Bieber.
"I think it’s fair to say that, here in America, you may well be the most popular Canadian named Justin," Obama said to Trudeau.
"One of our most popular exports to the United States, and I need you to stop teasing him, has been another Justin," Trudeau said in his toast. "And of course, leave it to a Canadian to reach international fame with a song called 'Sorry.'"
But the strongest bonding between the two, according to Obama, is their children.
"When we first spoke on the phone after your election, we talked not only as president and prime minister, but also as fathers," Obama said, later choking up as he noted his daughter Malia is going to college in the fall.
Trudeau responded, saying, "Now that I think of it, we’re actually closer than friends. We’re more like siblings, really."
"May the special connection between our two countries continue to flourish in the years to come," Trudeau said. "And may my grey hair come in at a much slower rate than yours has."
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