As Justin Trudeau prepares to resign, Donald Trump tries again to woo Canadians

U.S. President-elect makes another '51st state' pitch, promising lower taxes and increased security

Published Jan 06, 2025  •  2 minute read

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, meets with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. Photo by Justin Trudeau/X

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump wasted little time courting Canadians in the wake of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation announcement on Monday.

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Shortly after Trudeau dropped the not-so-unexpected bombshell outside Rideau Cottage, Trump took to his Truth Social site and seemed to suggest his 25 per cent tariff threat on Canadian goods was a factor.

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“The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat,” Trump wrote about an hour after the Ottawa press conference.

“Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned.”

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He prefaced the comment by stating that “many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st state” and that a merger would see the tariff threat eliminated, lower taxes for Canadians and increased security “from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Shops that are constantly surrounding them.”

“Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!”

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Such promises, and suggestions the sovereign nation become part of the American Experiment, have proliferated from the incoming leader and his camp since a tête-à-tête with Trudeau and other high-ranking ministers in early December following the initial tariff threat.

After Canadian officials explained the fallout of such a move, Trump quipped that Canada should become the 51st state. The Liberals downplayed it as a joke then and since, but Trump has repeated it on Truth Social in the weeks since.

A few days after the meeting, Trump referred to Trudeau as “Governor.”

“I look forward to seeing the Governor again soon so that we may continue our in depth talks on Tariffs and Trade, the results of which will be truly spectacular for all!“

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He repeated the jab in a post following Chrystia Freeland’s resignation from cabinet days later.

“The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau,” Trump posted.

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In mid-December, he asked why “we subsidize Canada to the tune of over $100,000,000 a year?” he wrote, likely meaning the $100,000,000,000 figure he has previously used.

“Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State. They would save massively on taxes and military protection.”

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Team Trump was trolling Canada again as Christmas approached, with Eric Trump sharing a doctored image of a fake Amazon shopping cart showing Canada, along with Greenland and the Panama Canal, as contents.

Trump claims the U.S. should be able to claim both.

Trudeau hasn’t responded directly, but took to X on Boxing Day, sharing an NBC video shot ahead of the 2010 Winter Olympics that explains the nuances of Canada to the uninformed American viewer.

“Some information about Canada for Americans,” Trudeau commented.

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