‘Maybe Canada should become the 51st state,’ Trump’s swipe at Trudeau tariff complaints: Report

During their meeting last week, US President-elect Donald Trump told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that his country should become the 51st states of the United States, according to a report.

After Trump pledged to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China on the first day of assuming office, Trudeau travelled to Palm Beach, Florida to meet Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence.

During the meeting, when Trudeau complained that tariffs would cripple the Canadian economy, Trump said that then Canada should become an American state if outstanding issues cannot be addressed, according to Fox News.

Trump on November 25 said that he would impose 25 per cent tariffs on all goods coming into the United States from Canada and Mexico for the failure of these countries to check the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs into the United States.

‘Canada should be 51st US state if…’

Even though Trump described the meeting with Trudeau as “very productive”, Fox News cited two sources as saying that he told the Canadian premier at one point that if he could not manage his nation’s economy amid tariffs, then Canada should become a US state.

Fox quoted sources as saying that Trump told Trudeau that he would certainly impose 25 per cent tariffs if the trade deficit, which he said was in excess of $100 billion, and illegal immigration could not be fixed.

When Trudeau told that such a move would completely kill the Canadian economy, sources quoted Trump as saying: “So your country can’t survive unless it’s ripping off the U.S. to the tune of $100 billion?”

Then Trump went on to suggest that Canada should become the 51st US state and Trudeau could become the governor of that state, even though the title of prime minister was better, according to sources.

The remark led to nervous laughter from Trudeau and others at the table, as per sources.

Someone at the table said that if Canada joins the United States, then it would be a very liberal state, and it led to more laughter, said sources.

Trump then went on to suggest that Canada could possibly become two states upon joining the United States, a liberal half and a conservative half, said sources.