Staff Reports
In a bold and cheeky move, President-elect Donald Trump reportedly told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that if Canada couldn’t handle his proposed tariffs, perhaps it should consider joining the United States as the “51st state.” The meeting, which took place at Trump’s lavish Mar-a-Lago resort, was evidently ripe for humor, especially considering the current state of international trade and Trudeau’s growing alarm over Trump’s proposed 25% tariff on Canadian imports.
It seems Trudeau made the trek south to avoid being steamrolled by the incoming president’s trade policies. Trump’s plans to slap tariffs on both Canada and Mexico on his very first day in office were likely not what the Canadian Prime Minister had in mind for his vacation. Trump’s reasoning? The northern neighbor allegedly benefits from “ripping off” the United States to the tune of an astounding $100 billion, while also contributing to the flood of illegal immigration and drugs crossing the border.
During the meeting, Trudeau reportedly expressed concern about the negative impact tariffs would have on the Canadian economy. In true Trump fashion, he shot back, suggesting that Canada could only survive financially by milking the U.S. for all it’s worth. One can only assume Trudeau was wondering if “Tariff Talk” would be the new Canadian national sport, right alongside hockey.
The conversation grew even lighter with Trump’s quip about Canada considering the prospect of statehood. He mused that Trudeau could run the place with a title upgrade as “Governor” rather than Prime Minister—though he acknowledged that “Prime Minister” does have a certain regal ring to it. The room was apparently filled with nervous laughter as guests pondered the absurdity of Canada becoming just another star on the American flag.
Trump floats Canada becoming the ’51st state’ in meeting with Trudeau https://t.co/OYysyZnbVZ
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) December 4, 2024
While some guests joked about the idea of a “liberal” state, Trump humorously countered with a vision of a divided Canada—a “conservative state” for patriots and a “liberal state” for the other crowd. Surely, the thought of Canada being split into ideological factions sent the laughter into overdrive.
Though no one expects Canada to take up the offer and actually become the 51st state, the very notion makes for a good chuckle. It’s been a long time since America added a new state, with Hawaii being the last in 1959. Still, this exchange underscores Trump’s unique style of diplomacy—blunt, humorous, and decidedly unorthodox. Perhaps Trudeau left Mar-a-Lago contemplating whether a change of address might not be such a bad idea after all—if only for the meme potential.
