Trump Suggests Canada Could Become 51st US State Amid Trudeau’s Resignation
US President-elect Donald Trump has once again proposed the idea of Canada formally becoming the 51st US state, following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation earlier this week.
Trudeau stepped down on Monday, citing “internal conflicts” within his Liberal Party. He will continue to serve as the acting prime minister until a new party leader is elected, before a general election takes place in October 2025.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Many people in Canada love the idea of becoming the 51st state.” The post continued, “The United States can no longer tolerate the massive trade deficits and subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this and has stepped down.”
Trump went on to say that if Canada were to “merge” with the US, there would be no tariffs, Canadians would pay less in taxes, and the country would be “completely safe from the threat of Russian and Chinese ships that surround it.” He concluded by stating, “Together, it would be a great nation!!”
Trudeau’s announced resignation appears to be, at least in part, a response to Trump’s previous threat of a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico. Trump has been accusing the two neighboring countries of allowing illegal immigration, “crime, and drugs” to enter the US, while also exploiting free trade agreements to gain unfair trade surpluses with Washington.
The tariff threat sparked the resignation of Trudeau’s deputy, Chrystia Freeland, and led to a split within the Liberal Party. In the past, Trudeau attempted to address the issue directly with Trump, flying to Florida in December to meet with the president-elect at his Mar-a-Lago residence.
During their dinner meeting, Trump jokingly referred to Trudeau as the “governor” of Canada and mentioned the possibility of the country becoming the 51st US state.
Since then, Trump has continued to express his views, provocatively suggesting that Canada could even be divided into two states, one conservative and one liberal. He has also mentioned his intention to acquire Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory located off the northern coast of Canada.
Canada was formed from the remaining British possessions in North America after the original 13 colonies gained independence in the 18th century. While a significant portion of official Ottawa, the Canadian capital in the southeastern part of Ontario, is opposed to Trump’s unification plans, investor and TV personality Kevin O’Leary has claimed that about half of the country would support a change.
Trump’s Truth Social post about Canada came shortly after the US Congress certified the results of the presidential election last year. Trump is set to be inaugurated as the 47th US president in two weeks.