U.S. President Joe Biden expressed his gratitude to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling him a “friend,” and affirming that the world has become better thanks to his leadership.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Biden clarified that he spoke with Trudeau on Monday, the same day Trudeau announced his intention to step down as leader of the Liberal Party and from the position of Prime Minister later on.

Biden said in the statement:

“Over the past decade, Prime Minister Trudeau has led with dedication, optimism, and strategic vision. The U.S.-Canada alliance has become stronger because of him, the American and Canadian people are safer, and the world is better off because of him.”

Trudeau took office in 2015 during the final days of Barack Obama's presidency, and Biden was then the Vice President. After nearly a decade, Biden is preparing to hand over power to elected President Donald Trump, while Trudeau is leaving the Prime Minister's office as the country braces for a potential trade war with the United States.

Biden added: “Together, we have faced some of the toughest issues our countries have encountered in decades, from the COVID-19 pandemic to climate change, to combating the threat of fentanyl.”

The statement noted that the issue of fentanyl will remain a major point of contention between Trump and the incoming Prime Minister, as the elected president has conditioned taking strict actions against this drug to avoid imposing a 25% tariff on Canadian exports to the United States.

Trudeau also met with the elected president to discuss these tariffs that could significantly impact trade between the two countries. It is worth mentioning that trade between the United States and Canada reached CAD 461.5 billion in U.S. exports and CAD 540.3 billion in imports last year. The U.S. International Trade Association described the trade relationship between the two countries as “the largest and most comprehensive in the world,” supporting millions of jobs on both sides.

Biden concluded the statement by saying:

“We have made generational investments to strengthen supply chains and rebuild our economies from the ground up and the middle out, making North America the most economically competitive region in the world. I am proud to call him a friend, and I will remain grateful for his partnership and leadership.”