Trump Again Suggests Canada Should Join the U.S. as the 51st State
U.S. President Donald Trump has once again suggested that Canada should become America’s 51st state. On Tuesday, Trump told senior military officials in Virginia that he had spoken to a Canadian official about the idea.
Trump said that if Canada joined the U.S., it could be included in America’s new “Golden Dome” missile defence system at no cost. “Canada called me a couple of weeks ago. They want to be part of it. I said, why don’t you just join our country? Become the 51st state and you get it for free,” Trump said.
The president admitted he wasn’t sure if his suggestion “made a big impact,” but claimed joining the two countries “makes a lot of sense.” He also argued Canada is struggling under tariffs and that his trade policies are attracting trillions in investment to the U.S.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has rejected the idea before, saying Canada “is not for sale and never will be.” At a past meeting, he told Trump directly to stop making the 51st state jokes.
When asked about Trump’s latest remarks, Carney’s spokesperson referred back to previous comments, saying Canada has no interest in becoming part of the U.S. Carney also said Canada may consider working with the U.S. on missile defence through NORAD, but only if it benefits Canada.
The U.S. ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, recently said the “51st state” talk is outdated and not something the American government is pursuing.
