Is he or isn’t he joking? President-elect Donald Trump is posting more frequently about Canada becoming the “51st state” on social media in the wake of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation on Monday.
After Trudeau’s resignation, the president-elect took to Truth Social, writing, “Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State.”
“The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat,” his post continued. “Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned. If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!”
Later Monday, Trump spoke at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and expanded on his thoughts about Canada.
“Here’s the problem with Canada,” Trump said. “We’re spending hundreds of billions a year to protect it. We lose in trade deficits. We don’t need their cars, you know they make 20% of our cars; we don’t need that. I’d rather make them in Detroit. We don’t need their cars, we don’t need their lumber … we don’t need anything, so why are we losing $200 billion a year or more to protect Canada?”
Trump then brought up a conversation he’d had with Trudeau. He asked what would happen if the U.S. pulled its fiscal support, and Trump claimed that Trudeau said “Canada would dissolve.”
Canadian leaders across the political spectrum pushed back on Trump following his remarks.
Canadian Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre responded on X, saying, “Canada will never be the 51st state. Period. We are a great and independent country.”
Poilievre went on, discussing the ways in which his party plans on putting “Canada First.”
However, Trump has continued to post a series of North American maps with Canada and the U.S. both labeled, “United States.”
What are Canadians saying?
Don Tapscott, a Canadian businessman and author, claimed that 94% of Canadians would rather remain Canadian than become American. However, he entertained the idea hypothetically and slightly satirically, listing “principles and institutions that Canadians hold dear for any deal to be acceptable,” per Fortune.
This list included the U.S. adopting a nationalized health care system, no limits on abortion and more restrictive gun control laws.
Another survey by Leger found that 82% of Canadians would rather stay separate from the U.S. than join.
In mid-December last year, a BBC reporter asked Canadians on the street what their reaction would be to Canada joining the U.S. as a 51st state.
Lisa, a British Columbia native, said, “I just think that he’s mocking Canada because he knows we have a weak leader.”
Similarly, an Alberta native, Suzanne, said, “My immediate reaction to that is fear. Being seen as an extension of America isn’t really part of my personal narrative or my understanding of my country.”
Shahin, an Ontario native, added, “Like most Canadians, I am offended by these kinds of comments, and I think this shows a lack of understanding about international alliances.”
However, Canadian “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary said he supports the idea of Canada joining the United States, per Fox Business.
“I think in this kernel of an idea and yes, maybe it was a joke to start,” O’Leary said. “There is something great here to be done, because if you figured out a way to put these two countries together, it would be the most powerful country on Earth, the most powerful military on Earth, the most powerful resources, and no adversary anywhere would mess with it. That’s the prize.”
What would hypothetically happen to Capitol Hill with Canada’s addition
Politico entertained the thought and highlighted the changes Canada would bring to American politics if they were added as the 51st state.
The news organization drew on a poll conducted by Leger360 in October 2024, which showed 64% of Canadians favor Kamala Harris, compared to 21% who support Trump and 15% who are unsure.
As one state, Canada would get two senators and 45 representatives, which would cause the rest of the states to be reapportioned to keep the chamber at 435.
In an opinion piece to the New York Post, National Review editor-in-chief Rich Lowry predicted that “Canada would be a blue-state behemoth, matching California in population … and, presumably, in reliably Democratic politics.”
He continued, “We might think we’d annex Canada and make it more like us, but — with two Democratic senators and a huge tranche of electoral votes for Democratic presidential candidates — Canada would surely make us more like it.”
However, Politico believes that if somehow Canada had been added to the U.S. before the 2024 presidential election, Trump still would have won, “since (Harris) lost every battleground.”
Has the U.S. ever tried to take Canada before?
The Dominion of Canada was formed in 1867, after a confederation of several British colonies was ratified. Canada is still a member of the British commonwealth.
In 1844, U.S. President James K. Polk campaigned on the idea of annexing Canada. His slogan was “54°40′ or Fight,” and while he was unsuccessful in his Canadian ventures, he did manage to annex Texas, Oregon and the Mexican Cession.