In a bold and controversial move, US President-elect Donald Trump has suggested using “economic force” to merge Canada with the United States, creating what he has frequently referred to as the “51st state.” His proposal, which blends national security concerns and trade issues, has drawn sharp reactions from Canadian leaders.
Speaking at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Tuesday, Trump explained his reasoning. He cited military support provided by the US to Canada and the trade imbalances between the two countries as key factors. “You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like, and it would also be much better for national security,” Trump said. “Canada and the United States, that would be something. We’ve been good neighbors, but we can’t do it forever.”
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Trump also emphasized the financial burden on the US in defending Canada, asserting, “Don’t forget, we protect Canada. But here’s the problem with Canada. So many friends up there; I love the Canadian people. They’re great, but we’re spending hundreds of billions a year to protect it. We’re spending hundreds of billions a year to take care of Canada. We lose in trade deficits.”
Trump further criticized Canada’s defense spending, claiming the country has a “very small military” and relies heavily on US protection. “Canada is subsidized to the tune of about $200 billion a year, plus other things. And they don’t essentially have a military. It’s all fine, but you know they gotta pay for that,” he added.
The former president also repeated his plan to impose “substantial” tariffs on goods from both Canada and Mexico, continuing his “America First” rhetoric. In a post on the social media platform Truth Social, Trump shared an edited image of Canada incorporated into the US territory, with the caption, “Oh Canada.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau swiftly dismissed Trump’s comments, calling the idea of Canada becoming part of the US “a snowball’s chance in hell.” Trudeau responded strongly, saying, “There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States. Workers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each other’s biggest trading and security partners.”
Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly also condemned Trump’s remarks, accusing him of having a “lack of understanding” about Canada’s sovereignty. She added that Canada would “never back down” from such threats.
This is not the first time Trump has floated the idea of a US-Canada merger. Since his presidential election victory in November, he has repeatedly suggested the possibility, often mocking Trudeau by referring to him as the “Governor” of the “Great State of Canada.”
Earlier, Trump had threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods unless Canada took significant steps to tighten border security and reduce the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants into the US
As tensions over trade and national security continue to simmer, it remains to be seen how these remarks will influence US-Canada relations in the coming months.
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