Things got a little surreal this week when Star Trek legend William Shatner found himself commenting on Donald Trump’s eyebrow-raising proposal to make Canada the 51st state.
But instead of treating it like a serious geopolitical shift, Shatner leaned into the absurdity—offering a tongue-in-cheek counterproposal that left viewers laughing.
“Let’s Be the 11th Province,” Shatner Says with a Smile
Appearing on Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime, the Canadian-born actor didn’t miss a beat when asked about Trump’s meeting with Canada’s new Prime Minister, Mark Carney.
As Trump reportedly doubled down on his annexation fantasy, Shatner had a suggestion of his own: “Let’s offer Canada to the U.S. as the 11th province.”
His witty remark drew roaring laughter from the host, and Shatner followed it up with a pitch that sounded half-joking, half-endearing: “We’re cleaner, we have lots of power, and some lovely people ready to work with you.”
Still, beneath the humor, he was clearly poking fun at what he saw as an unserious and even insulting suggestion from the American president.
Not Everyone’s Laughing—Including Canada’s New PM
While Shatner might have approached it with humor, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney took a firmer tone behind closed doors.
According to reports from the Oval Office meeting, Carney made it very clear to Trump that Canada was, in no uncertain terms, “not for sale.”
Shatner echoed that seriousness too, saying it was strange that such an outlandish idea had even been given the time of day.
“Everyone is so serious about what is an unserious offer,” he pointed out, reminding viewers that Canada has been a sovereign nation for over 150 years.
MSNBC and The Atlantic Stoke the Fire with Talk of War
While Shatner was cracking jokes on Fox, things took a much darker tone over on MSNBC.
Host Katy Tur spoke with Canadian journalist Stephen Marche, whose recent piece in The Atlantic painted a chilling hypothetical: What if the U.S. and Canada actually went to war?
Tur asked Marche why this scenario is even being discussed.
Marche blamed Trump’s escalating rhetoric, saying that talk of annexation isn’t just a punchline—it’s feeding dangerous ideas.
“Only around two percent of Americans support this,” he admitted, “but we’ve seen time and again how easily public opinion can be swayed.”
Marche Warns of Dangerous Authoritarian Playbook
Marche didn’t hold back. He described Trump’s behavior as straight out of the authoritarian rulebook, linking the annexation fantasy to a broader threat to democracy.
“When countries enter constitutional crises, violence against neighboring nations often follows,” he warned.
“It’s deeply connected to Trump’s hints about running for a third term.”
He suggested that Canada should start thinking seriously about protecting itself, even comparing the current climate to pre-war Ukraine.
“Canada cannot afford complacency,” he wrote in his Atlantic piece.
Trump’s Trade War and Annexation Comments Fuel Tensions
In his article, Marche accused Trump of laying the groundwork for his Canada ambitions by first launching a “pointless and malicious trade war.”
According to Marche, Trump has discussed annexation not only publicly but also privately with both Prime Ministers Justin Trudeau and Mark Carney.
“Canada has abruptly become an adversary of the most powerful country in the world,” he wrote, warning that economic pressure could be a prelude to something much more serious.
Is an Armed Conflict Really Possible?
It sounds unthinkable—a war between two of the world’s closest allies.
But Marche argues that if Trump returns to power, a “manufactured emergency over Canada” could give him the excuse he needs to override democratic norms.
It’s not about actual invasion, he argues—it’s about exploiting instability for political gain.
Referencing Russia’s surprise invasion of Ukraine, Marche’s conclusion is a stark one: “Nobody wants to believe a continental conflict could happen. But Canada can’t afford to be naive.”