“Didn’t you guys burn down the White House?”

President of United States Donald Trump has falsely claimed Canada burned down the White House during the War of 1812. It is being reported that President Trump stated so while on a phone call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last month. Media from US has stated that it’s not clear from the report whether Trump was joking.

As per reports, Trump and Trudeau were discussing the Trump administration imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada. Trump said that the tariffs are a matter of national security, something Trudeau reportedly contested during the phone call, a leading TV channel from US has reported.

“Didn’t you guys burn down the White House?” Trump reportedly said in response.  Trump was apparently referring to the War of 1812, when the White House and much of Washington, D.C., was burned by the British. The British marched on Washington, D.C., in August 1814 after the Americans attacked York, Ontario. That territory, part of Canada, at the time was a British colony. Former first lady Dolley Madison famously rescued a portrait of President Washington before fleeing the White House as it burned. Trump bragged in March that he has made up facts during meetings with Trudeau.