Trump: Canada becoming 51st state 'great idea'

(The Hill) - President-elect Trump questioned Canada early Wednesday, asking why the U.S. provides its northern neighbor with subsidies, and suggesting that it should become the 51st state.

“No one can answer why we subsidize Canada to the tune of over $100,000,000 a year? Makes no sense!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State."

“They would save massively on taxes and military protection. I think it is a great idea," he added. "51st State!!!” 

His joking comes after the president-elect announced last month that he would impose a 25 percent tariff on products imported into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico, with an extra 10 percent placed on China. Trump said the move would exert pressure on the trading partners to better crack down on the movement of fentanyl and other drugs into the U.S. and fortify border security.

Following his tariff threat, he shared on Truth Social that he spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke over the phone. Trudeau later flew to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. 

“I made it very clear that the United States will no longer sit idly by as our Citizens become victims to the scourge of this Drug Epidemic, caused mainly by the Drug Cartels, and Fentanyl pouring in from China,” Trump said following the meeting with Trudeau. “Too much death and hardship!”

Both leaders had a positive view of the communication.

Trump’s threat toward Canada has caused a shakeup in Ottawa’s government with Chrystia Freeland, the country’s finance minister, resigning this week. In her resignation letter, she noted Trump’s tariffs threat while the president-elect slammed her behavior as “totally toxic.” 

He has also jokingly called Trudeau the “governor” of the “Great State of Canada.”