During a visit to North Carolina on Friday (24), U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he “would love to see Canada become the 51st state” of the United States, arguing that Canadians would benefit from annexation.
“They’ve been very unfair to us in trade. Historically, Canada has treated us poorly, very unfairly in trade… so we’ll see how this develops. I would love to see Canada as the 51st state [of the U.S.],” Trump declared.
Trump went on to say that Canadian citizens would see significant tax reductions if annexed. “They are heavily taxed. They wouldn’t have to worry about a military, wouldn’t have to worry about many things. They would get better healthcare, much better. I think the Canadian people would like this if it were explained to them,” he argued.
Criticism of Trade Relations
Trump claimed the U.S. “loses” $200 billion with Canada, referring to the neighboring country’s trade surplus. He argued that the U.S. doesn’t need Canadian goods such as cars and food “because we produce the same products just across the border.”
Comments on Justin Trudeau
During the press conference, Trump referred to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a “governor” and mentioned a conversation where he proposed the idea of Canada joining the U.S.
“I told… I call him Governor Trudeau, but he’s Prime Minister Trudeau… I asked him: ‘Why should we continue with trade deals at this level?’ He couldn’t give me an answer. He said: ‘I don’t know,'” Trump remarked.
Trudeau recently announced his resignation as prime minister but will remain in office until a new leader is selected.
“I told him: ‘Do you think it’s fair that we’re paying $200 billion to keep Canada afloat? What do you think would happen if we didn’t? He said Canada would fail as a nation. So I told him: ‘Then you should be a state… Why are we sending all this money to Canada when we can use it ourselves?’” Trump added.
Annexation Proposal
Earlier this year, Trump published a map showing Canada annexed into the U.S. In response, Trudeau dismissed the idea, stating there was “no chance” Canada would become part of the United States.
The suggestion has sparked outrage and disbelief on both sides of the border, with critics accusing Trump of undermining international relations. For now, the proposal remains another controversial point in the president’s already divisive tenure.
