President Trump Repeats Call for Canada to Become 51st State, Says It Would Avoid Tariffs
President Donald Trump repeated his suggestion that Canada become the 51st state, stating that it would avoid tariffs imposed on the country’s goods. In a post on TRUTH Social, Trump noted that the United States pays “hundreds of Billions of Dollars to SUBSIDIZE Canada” and asked why this was necessary. He claimed that Canada would cease to exist as a viable country without this subsidy and suggested that joining the US as a state would provide Canada with lower taxes, better military protection, and no tariffs.
This is not the first time Trump has suggested that the US should take control of Canada through economic pressure. On Saturday, he signed an order imposing a 25% tariff on goods entering the US from Canada, citing the flow of illicit drugs across the border. The order also put a 10% duty on energy or energy resources from Canada.
The move was met with swift retaliation from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced that Canada would impose 25% tariffs on $155 billion of US goods. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also vowed retaliation, announcing that Mexico would implement “tariff and non-tariff measures in defense of Mexico’s interests.”
Trudeau and Sheinbaum rejected Trump’s allegations that their countries were involved in the flow of drugs across the US border. Canadian Ambassador to the US Kirsten Hillman told ABC News that Canada is not interested in escalating the situation, but believes that the country must stand up for its interests.
