Trump Confirms He’s Serious About Wanting Canada As 51st State

 

President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shake hands during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House during Trump's first term, on February 13, 2017.

President Donald Trump is serious about his repeated suggestions that Canada should become the U.S.’ “51st state,” he confirmed in an interview that aired before the Super Bowl on Sunday, after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned the country’s business leaders Trump’s desire to absorb the northern country—which had been taken as a joke—is a “real thing.”

Key Facts

Fox News host Bret Baier asked Trump whether Trudeau was right in telling business leaders the U.S. president’s threat to absorb Canada is a “real thing,” to which Trump agreed with Trudeau and responded, “Yes it is.”

Trump claimed Canada “would be much better off” being a U.S. state and complained about the $200 billion the U.S. pays to Canada each year, a number the Trump administration has previously said is based on the amount the U.S. spends on defense, which Canada benefits from, plus the U.S.’ trade deficit with Canada.

“I’m not gonna let that happen,” Trump said about the money the U.S. gives to Canada, claiming the U.S. is paying money “essentially in subsidy to Canada” and adding, “Now, if they’re the 51st state, I don’t mind doing it.”

Trump has repeatedly suggested in recent months he wants the U.S. to absorb Canada, referring to the country as the “51st state” and to Trudeau as a “governor,” rather than prime minister.

While those comments have largely been downplayed as Trump not being serious or just trying to negotiate with Canada, Trudeau reportedly warned business leaders Friday to take the president’s threats seriously, claiming Trump’s desire to absorb Canada is a “real thing.”

Trudeau pointed to Canada’s natural resources and claimed the Trump administration is “very aware of our resources, of what we have and they very much want to be able to benefit from those,” arguing Trump “has it in mind that one of the easiest ways of doing that is absorbing our country.”

Crucial Quote

“Not only does the Trump administration know how many critical minerals we have, but that may be even why they keep talking about absorbing us and making us the 51st state,” Trudeau reportedly told attendees at a summit of business and labor leaders Friday, as quoted by The Guardian, which reports Trudeau “hastily” called the meeting to coordinate the country’s response to Trump’s threat of 25% tariffs on Canadian imports.

Will Trump Impose Tariffs On Canada?

Trump was slated to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian imports—other than a lower tariff on energy—last week but backed off at the last minute, citing Canada’s willingness to strengthen its security at the U.S.-Canada border. The tariffs are now paused for 30 days while Trump’s administration and Canada try to negotiate a longer term solution, but Trump said Sunday he still wants to levy tariffs on the northern country’s imports. “Something needs to happen, it’s not sustainable,” Trump said about whether he would impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico, whose planned tariffs were also paused at the last minute.

How Is Canada Responding To Trump?

Canadians have mobilized in response to Trump’s tariff threat on Canada, with widespread boycotts of U.S. travel and products in response to the president’s attacks on the country. Canadian leaders have also pulled U.S. brands from store shelves and said they won’t renew contracts with American businesses, and the country planned to impose widespread 25% tariffs on American goods if Trump’s tariffs on Canadian imports had taken effect. Officials in Canada have expressed confusion at Trump’s sudden attacks on the U.S.’ longtime ally and resolved not to capitulate to him, with employment minister Steven MacKinnon telling reporters Friday, “Canada will choose its own destiny, thank you very much.”

Key Background

Canada is one of several places Trump has suggested the U.S. should absorb since taking office, along with Greenland. The president has pushed an “America First” foreign policy strategy and has long decried the U.S. spending money on even foreign countries that are its allies, and his attacks on Canada also come as his administration has more broadly shut off most foreign aid and pulled out of international organizations like the World Health Organization. While Trump long suggested on the campaign trail that he wanted to impose sharp tariffs on imported goods, he singled out Mexico and Canada specifically in November following his win, proposing a 25% tariff rate on the countries—far higher than the 10% to 20% blanket tariffs he suggested on the campaign trail. Trump has claimed the tariffs on Canada are necessary due to concerns about undocumented immigrants that come in through the country and the flow of fentanyl into the U.S., though according to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, only approximately 1.5% of all the migrants that border officials apprehended for crossing the border without authorization in 2024 came through the northern border.