Canada’s outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dismissed President-elect Trump's idea of Canada becoming the "51st state" as a distraction.
"He likes to keep people a little off balance," Trudeau told MSNBC. "The 51st state, that’s not going to happen. Canadians are incredibly proud of being Canadian." He said the idea shifted focus from the real issue—Trump's tariff threats.
Trudeau emphasized the economic impact of proposed 25% tariffs on steel, aluminum, and energy. "No American wants to pay 25% more for electricity or oil and gas coming in from Canada," he noted. "It distracts from questions that affect the cost of living for Americans."
Trump suggested merging Canada and the U.S. would eliminate tariffs and lower taxes. He also referred to Trudeau as the "governor" of Canada. Trudeau, however, announced his plan to resign as prime minister once a new leader is chosen.
Trudeau reflected on Trump’s admiration for Canada, calling it flattering but unrealistic. "We’re great, but we’re also proud of being Canadian," he said. "If you ask any Canadian what it means to be Canadian, they’ll say, ‘We’re not Americans.’"
During a trip to Mar-a-Lago, Trudeau joked about Canada annexing Vermont or California. "He didn’t find it funny," Trudeau recalled, noting the conversation quickly shifted.
"My focus is on tariffs that might happen," Trudeau said. "If Trump imposes tariffs that raise costs for Americans, we’ll have a robust response." Canada is prepared to retaliate with tariffs on American goods, including orange juice and steel products.
Trudeau reminded that Canada countered Trump’s earlier tariffs on steel and aluminum with levies on bourbon and motorcycles. "It caused losses for American businesses. Canada is the top export partner for 35 U.S. states, and thickening the border costs jobs and hurts Americans," he argued.
Trump claimed the U.S. doesn’t need Canadian oil, but data shows nearly a quarter of U.S. oil consumption comes from Canada. Alberta alone exports 4.3 million barrels daily, making Canada essential to U.S. energy needs.
Trump suggested better border security could sway his tariff decisions. Trudeau noted less than 1% of illegal immigrants and fentanyl cross from Canada but announced increased spending on border security to address Trump’s concerns.