In a surprising turn of events, US President-elect Donald Trump brought back his unpopular plan to make Canada the 51st state of the United States, just hours after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation.
Trudeau, 53, was forced to resign under mounting pressure from his ruling Liberal Party as his popularity continued to spiral ahead of general elections later this year. He confirmed he would remain in office until a new party leader is elected.
Trump, 78, has a long history of tense relations with Trudeau, going back to his first term from 2017 to 2021. Since his electoral victory on November 5, Trump has floated the idea of Canadian statehood numerous times, even taking to social media in recent days to voice his opinions.
According to Trump, on Truth Social, many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State. The United States can no longer suffer the massive trade deficits and subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned,.
He went further to explain that a merger with the US would remove tariffs completely, drastically reduce the burden of taxation, and provide Canada with added security against perceived threats from the naval forces of Russia and China. “Together, what a great nation it would be!” he gushed.
Reactions have been scant out of Canada regarding the Trump proposal. The former president had earlier threatened to slap a 25% tariff on all Canadian imports unless their government stemmed the tide of illegal drugs and immigrants crossing the southern border.
In his social media commentary, Trump has even gone so far as to refer to Trudeau as the “Governor of the Great State of Canada,” further driving home his long-standing contentious view of Canadian governance.
