Ahead of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s state visit to Washington, D.C., the U.S. media is finding creative ways to describe Trudeau to Americans, who may not be familiar with the Canadian leader. From the "anti-Trump" to "Canada's JFK," here's a roundup of some of the descriptions.
The Washington Post recently described Trudeau as the "anti-Trump," in a lengthy article that compared the many ways the prime minister and the Republican presidential frontrunner differ. The article compared their respective views on several issues, including refugees, feminism, climate change, dancing and general niceness, and concluded that Trudeau’s “progressive, inclusive message could not be more different than that of Trump.”
In a lengthy profile called "The Canadian Coming for Dinner," Bloomberg described Trudeau as the "beloved son" of former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, who "rode a wave of enthusiasm to the top post" in Canada.
The Christian Science Monitor called the prime minister a "political progeny," describing him as "young, energetic, and optimistic," while wondering if he was Canada’s very own JFK.
USA Today published a video noting that the U.S. capital is "giddy" over the upcoming visit by the prime minister. The video described Trudeau as an "Internet darling," loved for his "charm, good looks, and progressive policies on feminism and diversity." It also alluded to the "adorable" photo of Trudeau holding twin panda cubs, taken this week at the Toronto Zoo.
The Washington Times published an article about the upcoming meeting that appeared to highlight the difference in age between U.S. President Barack Obama and Trudeau.
The paper described the state visit as a meeting between a "gray-haired" and "losing-clout-by-the-day" Obama and a "charismatic" Trudeau. It also described Trudeau's wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, as a "media-darling."
The growth in media attention is reminiscent of the interest that spiked when Trudeau first took office last November.
At the time, the international press found different ways to introduce their readers to the new prime minister. The wide-ranging coverage included references to his "positive politics" and to his physical appearance.
One NBC News story went as far as describing him as "Canada's Liberal, Boxing, Strip-Teasing New PM."
Meanwhile, the curiosity over Trudeau appears to have a regional bent south of the border.
According to Google, web searches for Trudeau are highest in the U.S. capital, New York State and New England. In Washington, D.C., “Justin Trudeau boxing” topped searches in the past seven days, while “Justin Trudeau hot” topped searches in New York City in the past week, Google said.
Residents in the southern U.S. states appear to have the least amount of interest in the Canadian leader, according to Google.
