Despite Prime Minister Mark Carney’s claim that U.S. President Donald Trump now respects Canadian sovereignty, Trump resumed his calls to make Canada the 51st state in an interview with The Atlantic published on Canada’s election day.
“Here’s the problem I have with Canada: We’re subsidizing them to the tune of $200 billion a year. And we don’t need their gasoline; we don’t need their oil; we don’t need their lumber. We don’t need their energy of any type. We don’t need anything they have,” said Trump.
“I say it would make a great 51st state. You know, they do 95 per cent of their business with us. Remember, if they’re a state, there’s no tariffs. They have lower taxes. We have to guard them militarily.”
When asked directly if he was serious about Canada joining the U.S. as the 51st state, he responded, “I think it would be great.”
During the interview, Trump also took credit for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s election loss, where he ultimately lost his own seat in the riding of Carleton, where he’d served as MP for 21 years.
“You know, until I came along, remember that the Conservative was leading by 25 points,” said Trump ahead of the vote. “Then I was disliked by enough of the Canadians that I’ve thrown the election into a close call, right?”
“I don’t even know if it’s a close call,” he continued.
Trump has been critical of Poilievre in the past for not being a “MAGA guy.”
“I mean, he’s really not he’s not a Trump guy at all,” said Trump of Poilievre in February.
Poilievre responded to Trump’s criticisms on Monday in a post to X telling him to “stay out” of Canada’s electoral process.
“President Trump, stay out of our election. The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box,” wrote Poilievre. “Canada will always be proud, sovereign and independent and we will NEVER be the 51st state.”
Trump appeared to be the focal point of the 2025 election, with many voters perceiving him and the threat of U.S. tariffs to be the singular issue presently facing Canada, something Carney was able to capitalize on.
During his victory speech, Carney referred to Trump as an ongoing existential threat to Canada, declaring that the U.S. president will never “break” Canada.
Following his victory, Trump responded Wednesday by saying that he thinks the two will “have a great relationship.”
“They both hated Trump and it was the one that hated Trump I think the least that one,” he said, referring to Carney and Poilievre.
“I actually think the conservative hated me much more than the so-called liberal. I spoke to him yesterday,” Trump told reporters in Washington. “He couldn’t have been nicer and I congratulated him.”
Last week Carney was called out for misrepresenting his first discussion with Trump after sources said their phone call involved further talk of Canada becoming the 51st state.
Initially, Carney denied the topic was ever brought up during the call.
Carney had told the public in a press conference following the call that same day, where he told the media that Trump had shelved his annexation rhetoric.
Regardless of whether or not it was a subject of conversation a month ago, Trump’s 51st state rhetoric is now certainly back on the table.