Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday firmly rejected a suggestion by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump that Canada could become the 51st U.S. state through economic coercion.
“There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States,” Trudeau said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Workers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each other’s biggest trading and security partner.”
Trump, speaking at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, was asked whether he might consider using military force to acquire Canada.
“No, economic force,” Trump replied. “Because Canada and the United States, that would really be something.”
Trump, who has frequently criticized Canada’s trade surplus with the United States, called the border between the two countries an “artificially drawn line.” He also reiterated his intention to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian imports, a significant move considering Canada sends 75% of its goods and services exports to the U.S.
Earlier on Tuesday, Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly responded to Trump’s comments, stating, “President-elect Trump’s remarks show a complete lack of understanding of what makes Canada a strong country. We will never back down in the face of threats.”
The dispute comes at a politically sensitive time for Canada. Trudeau announced Monday that he plans to step down in the coming months, bowing to pressure from his Liberal Party amid declining approval ratings. The next federal election, scheduled for October 2025, is widely expected to see a resounding victory for the opposition Conservatives.
“Canada will never be the 51st state. Period. We are a great and independent country,” Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said in a post on X.
