Draft:2024-2025 proposals for Canadian annexation to the United States

In December 2024, President-elect Trump suggested Canada consider becoming the 51st U.S. state if Prime Minister Trudeau felt his planned tariffs would hurt Canada’s economy during a tense meeting with him over trade deficits and border security at Mar-a-Lago. He later referred to Trudeau as the “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada” and said that he looked forward to meeting the "Governor" again to continue their talks on "Tariffs and Trade".{{Cite web |date=2024-12-10 |title=Trump Calls Trudeau 'Governor' Of 'The Great State Of Canada |url=https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-calls-trudeau-governor-of-the-great-state-of-canada |access-date=2024-12-12 |website=www.dailywire.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Trump takes jab at 'governor' Trudeau |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgx1ezpx52o |access-date=2024-12-12 |website=www.bbc.com |date=10 December 2024 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Ray |first=Siladitya |title=Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Reportedly Set To Resign This Week—Here's What To Know |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2025/01/06/canadian-prime-minister-justin-trudeau-reportedly-set-to-resign-this-week-heres-what-to-know/ |access-date=2025-01-06 |website=Forbes |language=en}} During an appearance on Fox News, Ontario Premier Doug Ford jokingly stated that this was Trump's attempt at revenge for the War of 1812 by saying; "I guess he’s still upset that in 1812 we burned down the White House and he’s holding a grudge after 212 years. He’s a funny guy".{{Cite web |title=Ford appears on Fox News joking Trump tariff threat is retribution for War of 1812 | Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10903501/doug-ford-fox-news-appearence/ |website=Global News}}

In response to Trudeau suggesting that Canada's liberal electorate would skew American politics, Trump suggested that Canada could enter the Union as two states, one more conservative and one more liberal.[https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-joked-canada-could-avoid-113555259.html Trump joked Canada could avoid tariffs by becoming 51st US state, says report James Liddell Tue, December 3, 2024 at 6:35 AM EST] Canada has ten provinces and 3 territories.

In a similarly humorous vein, Independent and leftist Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said he would back Trump's plan to bring Canada in as a state if they could expand Canada's state-run health care system to all Americans.{{cite web |title='All for it': Bernie Sanders backs Trump's talk of making Canada the 51st state, with a caveat |url=https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/dec/3/bernie-sanders-backs-trumps-talk-making-canada-51s/ |website=The Washington Times}}

Again, on December 18, 2024, President-elect Trump suggested on his social media platform Truth Social that Canada should become the 51st State of the United States. He expressed displeasure in his belief of the US over subsidizing Canada.{{Quote|text=No one can answer why we subsidize Canada to the tune of over $100,000,000 a year? Makes no sense! 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. 51st State!!!|author=Donald J. Trump|source=Truth Social}}{{Cite web |last=Sharp |first=Alexandra |date=2024-12-26 |title=The 51st Star on the U.S. Flag? |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/12/19/trump-canada-us-state-tariffs-border-security-trudeau/ |access-date=2024-12-21 |website=Foreign Policy |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Truth Social |url=https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113672861551554010 |access-date=2024-12-21 |website=Truth Social |language=en}}

Trump again referred to Trudeau as the "Governor" of Canada in his Christmas post and said that if Canada became the 51st State, Canada's taxes would be reduced by "more than 60%", its businesses would "immediately double in size" and it would become exceptionally militarily protected.{{Cite news |date=2024-12-26 |title=Trump wishes Christmas to 'radical left lunatics'; offers tax cuts to '51st US state' Canada |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/trump-wishes-christmas-to-radical-left-lunatics-offers-tax-cuts-to-51st-us-state-canada-101735163794902.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20241226005313/https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/trump-wishes-christmas-to-radical-left-lunatics-offers-tax-cuts-to-51st-us-state-canada-101735163794902.html |archive-date=2024-12-26 |access-date=2025-01-06 |work=Hindustan Times |language=en-us}}{{Cite news |date=Dec 26, 2024 |title=Donald Trump mocks Justin Trudeau by offering Canada to become '51st US state': 'Your country can't survive without…' |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/donald-trump-mocks-justin-trudeau-by-offering-canada-to-become-51st-us-state-your-country-cant-survive-without-101735175917954.html |work=Hindustan Times}} He later suggested that NHL legend Wayne Gretzky should run to become the Prime Minister of Canada which he said would soon be known as the "Governor of Canada", which Gretzky would win easily.

Trump reacted to Trudeau's resignation as the Prime Minister of Canada by again suggesting Canada merge with the U.S, saying: {{Quote|text=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. If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!|author=Donald J. Trump|source=Truth Social|character=}}{{Cite news |last=Crawley |first=Mike |date=January 6, 2025 |title=Trump responds to Trudeau resignation by suggesting Canada merge with U.S. |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/justin-trudeau-resigns-us-donald-trump-tariffs-1.7423756 |access-date=7 January 2025 |work=CBC}}{{Cite web |title=Truth Social |url=https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113782682597333035 |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=Truth Social |language=en}}

In January 2025, President-elect Trump and his supporters continued talking about the idea of Canada joining the United States. On January 7, 2025, during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, President-elect Trump reiterated his position that Canada should become the 51st state but ruled out the use of military force to annex or acquire Canada, stating that he would instead use "economic force" to pressure Canada into joining the United States.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-07 |title=Trump suggests he could use military force to acquire Panama Canal and Greenland and 'economic force' to annex Canada |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-suggests-use-military-force-acquire-panama-canal-greenland-econo-rcna186610 |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=NBC News |language=en}} He further commented, "You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like, And it would also be much better for national security. They're great, but we're spending hundreds of billions here to protect it."{{Cite web |date=January 7, 2025 |title=Trump suggests he could use military force to acquire Panama Canal and Greenland and 'economic force' to annex Canada |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-suggests-use-military-force-acquire-panama-canal-greenland-econo-rcna186610 |access-date=January 7, 2025 |website=NBC News |language=en}}

Trump's comments on using economic force to annex Canada have been widely condemned by Canadian politicians.{{Cite news |date=7 Jan 2025 |title=Trudeau rejects Trump's idea of forcing Canada to become a US state |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canada-rejects-trumps-comments-about-possible-use-economic-force-2025-01-07/ |access-date=7 Jan 2025 |work=Reuters}}{{Cite web |title=Trudeau says no chance Canada joins U.S. as Trump threatens 'economic force' - National {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10946444/trump-canada-us-merger-trade-nato/ |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=Global News |language=en-US}} Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that there was "not a snowball's chance in hell" of Canada joining the United States. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre commented "Canada will never be the 51st state. Period. We are a great and independent country."{{Cite web |last=Fortinsky |first=Sarah |date=2025-01-07 |title=Canada's Conservative leader slams Trump's '51st state' idea |url=https://thehill.com/policy/international/5072858-canadas-conservative-leader-slams-trumps-51st-state-idea/ |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}} New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh responded with "Cut the crap, Donald. No Canadian wants to join you." and later referred to the President-elect as a "bully." Statements criticizing Trump's comments on Canada joining the US have also been made by other federal and provincial leaders and politicians.{{Cite web |last=Jäger |first=Jarryd |date=2025-01-03 |title=WATCH: May claps back at Trump over '51st state' comments, says joke was 'never funny' |url=https://www.westernstandard.news/watch/watch-may-claps-back-at-trump-over-51st-state-comments-says-joke-was-never-funny/60879 |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=Western Standard |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Swanson |first=Stephen |date=2025-01-07 |title=Ontario premier jokes that Canada should buy Minnesota, Alaska in response to Trump's annexation remarks - CBS Minnesota |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/ontario-premiere-doug-ford-canada-buy-minnesota-alaska-donald-trump-annexation/ |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title='We are not becoming the 51st state': B.C. Premier says Canada and U.S. need to work together {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10946455/bc-premier-david-eby-press-conference-latest/ |access-date=2025-01-07 |website=Global News |language=en-US}} An opinion poll from Leger taken after the comments found that only 13% of Canadians supported the idea of a merger with the United States compared to 82% who were opposed, contradicting the claim that there was serious interest in Canada.{{cite web | url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-leger-poll-suggests-13-of-canadians-think-canada-should-become-the/ | title=Leger poll suggests 13% of Canadians think Canada should become the 51st American state | work=The Globe and Mail | date=10 December 2024 }} Another poll from Angus Reid, also taken after President-elect Trump's comments, put support even lower at 6%.{{cite web | url=https://cultmtl.com/2024/12/6-of-canadians-want-canada-to-join-the-united-states/ | title=6% of Canadians want Canada to join the United States | date=13 December 2024 }}

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