“The true north is indeed strong and free,” the king said in a speech to Canadians, borrowing a line from the country’s national anthem. Prime Minister Mark Carney enlisted the king to deliver the Liberal government’s “message of sovereignty” in reply to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and annexation threats.

King Charles III used a significant speech in Canada’s parliament on Tuesday to underscore the country’s sovereignty following pressure from US President Donald Trump.