First Nations leader who had 'intense' talk with Trump considered leaving before president landed

The Associated Press

· Posted: Jun 16, 2025 5:51 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

A First Nations person who greeted G7 members connected the tarmac successful Calgary said helium was "filled with rage" and considered leaving earlier Donald Trump arrived — saying the U.S. president has "caused overmuch symptom and suffering successful the world."

Instead, Steven Crowchild prayed, consulted with Indigenous leaders and yet opted to stay for a speech with Trump that helium hopes volition bring attraction to promoting peace, protecting cleanable h2o and different issues helium says are cardinal to First Nations.

"It was truly intense, to accidental the least," Crowchild, a assembly subordinate of the Tsuut'ina Nation westbound of Calgary, told The Associated Press of his lengthy brushwood with Trump connected Sunday night.

"When I woke up connected Father's Day, I didn't expect I would beryllium seeing satellite leaders, and 1 definite idiosyncratic that has caused overmuch symptom and suffering successful the world."

WATCH | Trump seen stopping to talk with Crowchild: 

Crowchild said helium spoke successful his people's accepted language, wore feathered headgear that made him consciousness beardown and showed Trump pact medals that helium told the president were older than Canada itself.

Trump wore a achromatic "Make America Great Again" headdress and appeared to beryllium listening astatine magnitude — though some sides declined to remark connected precisely what was said.

"When it came to that 1 individual, I astir didn't stay. I was filled with rage," Crowchild said. "I was going to spell location due to the fact that I didn't privation to bring immoderate negativity to my people. However, I did consult with adjacent radical and advisers and, based connected feedback, I stayed, considering that visibility is cardinal and diplomacy is important."

Crowchild said helium "prayed to my Creator" and "really thought of those suffering astir the world" successful choosing to talk to Trump.

"Instead of war, I take peace," helium said.

Crowchild said that, successful summation to Trump, helium greeted different satellite leaders and "tried to punctual each 1 of them to effort to beryllium a bully person and support our h2o for aboriginal generations."

Bearspaw Nation Chief Darcy Dixon welcomed leaders earlier successful the day, but was not contiguous for Trump's receiving line.

"I spoke for my elders," Crowchild said, noting that helium spoke of promoting bid and tried to "say arsenic overmuch arsenic I could, arsenic wisely arsenic I could, portion representing with honour and dignity. Whether helium listened oregon not, clip volition tell."

He said that, ultimately, the U.S. president is "just different person."

"Some would accidental he's a horrible person, and we each cognize galore reasons," Crowchild said. "I stood taller than him arsenic arrogant Tsuut'ina Isgiya."

Some First Nations leaders person spoken retired astir Trump's past words and deeds. In January, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak called the president's 51st authorities comments astir Canada "outlandish" and "disrespectful."