Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently shared insights from his meeting with President-elect Donald Trump, revealing a humorous exchange that briefly shifted the conversation away from the heated issue of trade.
During their meeting at Mar-a-Lago last year, Trudeau recounted how Trump jokingly suggested annexing Canada.
A Humorous Suggestion Turns Serious
Trudeau explained that the two leaders had started to banter about the idea of making Canada part of the U.S.
“We started musing back and forth about this,” Trudeau recalled.
He even playfully suggested swapping parts of Canada for U.S. states like Vermont or California.
However, Trump quickly stopped seeing the humor.
“He immediately decided that it was not that funny anymore, and we moved on to a different conversation,” Trudeau said.
Trudeau’s Stance on Canada Becoming the 51st State
Despite the lighthearted moment, Trudeau made his position clear: Canada will never become the 51st state of the U.S.
“That will never happen,” he emphasized.
Trudeau noted that the real challenge lies in Trump’s tariff threats, which could significantly affect trade.
“If he goes forward with tariffs that increase the cost of almost everything for American citizens, we will need to have a strong response,” he warned.
Trump’s Repeated Claims About Canada
Though their conversation ended on a more serious note, Trump has continued to bring up the idea of annexing Canada.
After his election, he repeatedly raised the notion of Canada becoming the U.S.’s 51st state, even though it has been more of a lighthearted jab than a serious policy discussion.
Recently, at Mar-a-Lago, Trump referred to Trudeau as “Governor Trudeau,” suggesting again that Canada should join the U.S.
He also claimed, without evidence, that Canadians support this idea.
Tariffs and Trade Tensions
Trump’s threats of tariffs on Canadian goods, especially in industries like lumber and cars, have also remained a point of tension.
He has also made bold claims about the U.S. no longer needing Canadian fuel or energy, despite the fact that Canada is the largest source of U.S. crude oil imports.
In response, Trudeau has warned Americans that many everyday items, from fuel to building materials, could become more expensive if Trump’s tariffs go forward.
He also pointed out that many goods cross the border multiple times as part of the supply chain, meaning that tariffs would quickly accumulate.
Economists have also expressed concerns about the tariffs, noting that they could violate existing U.S. trade agreements and could signal a loss of trust in the U.S. as a reliable trade partner.
Canada’s Efforts on Border Security
In addition to trade, Trudeau addressed Trump’s concerns about illegal immigration and drug trafficking from Canada.
He clarified that less than one percent of illegal immigration and drugs come from Canada.
“We’re not a problem,” Trudeau said, but added that Canada is still committed to responding to Trump’s requests.
Canada has invested billions into improving border security to handle these issues.
However, Trudeau noted that the larger problem lies with the U.S. southern border.
“We’ll continue to respond to these concerns because it’s in both our interests,” he said.
As Trump prepares to take office, Trudeau remains focused on maintaining dialogue and cooperation, despite the ongoing trade and border security challenges.