‘People of Canada like it’: Donald Trump explains why he wants Canada as the 51st US state and Trudeau as ‘Governor’
Live MintPresident-elect Donald Trump has suggested that Canada should become the 51st state, citing economic and defense concerns as justification. Speaking from Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said, "I called them Governor Trudeau because they should be the 51st state, really. Highlighting Canada's reliance on US support, Trump said he confronted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, stating, "I said, why are we subsidizing you $200 and $250 billion a year? Trump also dismissed the need for Canadian imports, saying, "We don’t need Canada for lumber because we have big forests that we have.we don’t need anything. Trudeau emphasized the potential impact of US tariffs, stating, “Oil and gas and electricity and steel and aluminum and lumber and concrete and everything the American consumers buy from Canada suddenly going to get a lot more expensive if he moves forward on these tariffs.” Reiterating Canada’s sovereignty, Trudeau said there was "not a snowball's chance in hell" that Canada would join the US, adding that Ottawa would respond with countermeasures if necessary.