Most people had taken President Donald Trump’s remarks to turn Canada into the 51st state of the United States as a joke. It was nothing more than a dark, snide joke—up until Trump confirmed that he was serious in a Brett Baier interview.
Bret Baier, who interviewed Trump, asked the president about a statement from Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. According to Trudeau, Trump’s wish for Canada to be the 51st state is “a real thing.” Without missing a beat, Trump confirmed this allegation from the Canadian Prime Minister. “Yeah, it is. I think Canada would be much better off being a 51st state because we lose $200 billion a year with Canada.” Trump describes these losses essentially as a “subsidy” without elaborating even further. Baier doesn’t follow up on what Trump meant.
Trump has been taunting Canada since his presidential win. He has been making pointed statements against the United States’ ally. The president has threatened steep tariffs of up to 25% against all imports from the Great North, accusing the country of letting fentanyl slip past its borders. Fortunately, the tariffs have been delayed, but the fight is far from over. It’s one thing to threaten another country with tariffs, but entirely another to express the desire to annex.
United against America
Canadians have never been more united on this issue. Some report online that they have been following through with the Prime Minister’s call for an unofficial boycott of American goods at the grocery.
They reject Trump’s threats and generally view these taunts as repulsive. The Deputy Chief of Staff to Premier David Eby wrote, “Not now, not ever.” Another journalist from Canada wrote on X, “#Not51.” Similarly, premiers from across Canada are united against Trump’s threats and are ready to respond. Should Trump continue with the tariffs, they are prepared to hit back with non-tariff measures.
Adapting the aesthetic of imperialism
The president has consistently said in social media posts that he will make Canada the 51st state. He repeatedly refers to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “governor.” These are without a doubt ill-spirited jokes—until they weren’t. For all his talk about “manifest destiny,” he projects an image of a strongman leader in real estate tycoon pants. He makes it look as if acquiring land from other sovereign states are just deals that haven’t been closed.
The reality is, states and countries have territories defined by their histories. Annexation and encroachment of these lands by a foreign state break international law. Ironically, the United States used to decry the annexation of Crimea by Russia. It rejects China’s claims to the nine-dash line, which encroaches on the exclusive economic zones of several Southeast Asian allies. Amid all this, the United States is largely seen by the international community as a defender of democracy.
Now with Trump as president, he has drawn the ire of Canadians, Greenlanders, and Palestinians because of his expansionist vision. It doesn’t make the United States any different from other nations viewed antagonistically. Perhaps this is just another offhanded comment by Trump to overwhelm Americans as his team makes cuts to the federal government. Nevertheless, these words wouldn’t be taken lightly by the international community and other world leaders.
