Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday dismissed a suggestion by US President-elect Donald Trump that he could use “economic force” to make Canada the 51st US state.
“There is not even the slightest chance of Canada becoming part of the United States,” he said in a post on X.
“Workers and communities in our two countries benefit from being each other’s largest trade and security partners.”
Trump, speaking at Mar-a-Lago, was asked if he was considering using military force to acquire Canada.
“No, economic strength,” he responded. “Because Canada and the United States, that would really be a big deal.”
Trump, who has long complained about Canada’s trade surplus with the United States, had previously told reporters that the border was an “artificially drawn line.”
Trump has threatened to impose a 25 percent tariff on imports from Canada, which sends 75 percent of all exports of goods and services south of the border.
Earlier on Tuesday, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said Trump’s comments “show a complete lack of understanding of what makes Canada a strong country… We will never back down from threats.”
Trudeau announced Monday that he would resign in the coming months, bowing to pressure from lawmakers alarmed by his Liberal Party’s unpopularity. The next elections must be held before October 20 and polls predict a landslide victory for the official opposition conservatives.
“Canada will never be the 51st state. Period. “We are a large and independent country,” conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said in a post on X.
