President Donald Trump has stated that he is serious about his desire for Canada to become the 51st state of the United States. He made this statement in an interview aired on Sunday, February 9, 2025, before the NFL Super Bowl game, according to the American news agency AP.
“Yes, it is,” Trump told Bret Baier of Fox News when asked if his discussion about annexing Canada is “for real,” as recently warned by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“I think it would be much better if Canada were the 51st state because we lose $200 billion a year to Canada. And I’m not going to let that happen,” the White House leader warned. “Why are we paying $200 billion a year, essentially a subsidy to Canada?”
The United States does not subsidize Canada. The U.S. imports products from the resource-rich country, including goods such as oil. While the trade deficit in goods has increased in recent years, reaching $72 billion in 2023, the deficit indicates that the U.S. imports primarily energy products from Canada.
Trump has consistently suggested that Canada would be better off if it accepted becoming the 51st state of the U.S. — a prospect that is deeply unpopular among Canadians.
Trudeau stated on Friday during a closed-door session with business and labor leaders that Trump’s talk of making Canada the 51st state was “for real” and tied to his desire for access to the country’s natural resources.
“Mr. Trump understands that the easiest way to do this is to absorb our country, and that’s a real thing. In my talks with him…” said Trudeau, according to CBC, Canada’s public broadcaster. “They are very aware of our resources, what we have, and they really want to be able to benefit from them.”
Speaking with reporters on board “Air Force One” on Sunday — U.S. local time — while traveling to the Super Bowl in New Orleans, Trump continued to threaten a country that has long been one of the closest allies of the U.S. He claimed that Canada wouldn’t function as a country without trade with the U.S. and warned that the NATO founding member could no longer rely on the U.S. for military defense./Kallxo.com
