Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, continues to provoke Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Once again, he referred to Canada as the 51st state of the United States.
On the 18th (local time), Trump posted on Truth Social, “Can anyone explain why we provide over $100 million in annual subsidies to Canada? It doesn’t make any sense,” and added, “Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st state.” He further commented, “They could significantly save on taxes and military protection costs,” and concluded, “I think it’s a good idea. The 51st state!!!”
This is not the first time Trump has shown diplomatic discourtesy towards Canada, a neighboring ally. Previously, on the 10th, Trump stated, “I enjoyed having dinner with Trudeau, the governor of Canada, a few nights ago.” By calling a country’s prime minister a governor, Trump made a significant diplomatic misstep. According to Fox News, Trump reportedly proposed to Trudeau the idea of incorporating Canada as the 51st state.
Citing ongoing trade and immigration issues that Canada allegedly hasn’t resolved, Trump announced that he would impose a 25% tariff on Canadian goods once he takes office. In response to this stance, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, who opposed Trudeau’s approach, resigned from her position on the 17th.