US President-elect Donald Trump recently made another controversial statement, joking about making Canada the “51st state” of the United States. This time, Trump referred to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “Governor,” a title used for the head of a US state. The remarks, shared on Truth Social, the social media platform Trump owns, came just over a week after a dinner between the two leaders at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Trump posted, “It was a pleasure to have dinner the other night with Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada. I look forward to seeing the Governor again soon so that we may continue our in-depth talks on Tariffs and Trade, the results of which will be truly spectacular for all.”
The November dinner and trade talks
The dinner, held on November 30, saw Prime Minister Trudeau travel from Ottawa to meet President-elect. The meeting occurred just after Trump had warned Canada about the potential imposition of 25% tariffs on Canadian imports unless it took action against illegal immigrants trying to cross its southern border.
In response to this warning, Trudeau argued that such high tariffs would devastate Canada’s economy. Trump then joked that Canada could avoid these tariffs by becoming the 51st state of the US, a remark that caused Trudeau to nervously laugh, according to Fox News.
Trudeau could serve as Governor, says Trump
The lighthearted comments continued when someone at the dinner quipped that Canada’s addition as a state would likely make it a very liberal one, prompting further laughter. Trump, keeping with the playful tone, suggested that Canada could become two states, and if Trudeau found his list of demands unmanageable, he could serve as “Governor.”
Canada’s trade is highly dependent on the US, with roughly three-quarters of its goods and services being consumed by its southern neighbor. The imposition of high tariffs would severely affect the Canadian economy, further intensifying the stakes in the trade discussion.
Trudeau after meeting Trump
After the dinner, Trudeau described the conversation with Trump as “excellent,” although he refrained from commenting on the issue of tariffs or the broader relationship between the two nations. Similarly, Trump referred to the meeting as “very productive,” noting that the discussions covered several important topics, including fentanyl—an issue of growing concern in the US—and illegal immigration. Additionally, Trump mentioned the ongoing discussions around the US-Canada trade deficit and the importance of fair trade deals.
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