E-Paper
Donald Trump ‘serious’ about making Canada 51st state: ‘Ottawa will be better off’
As per Donald Trump, US loses "$200 billion a year with Canada". Trump said he is not going to let that happen.
US President Donald Trump said that he is serious about Canada becoming the 51st state, noting that Ottawa would be better off being a part of America.
In an interview to Fox News aired during the Super Bowl pre-show on Sunday, US President Donald Trump responded to a question about whether Canada as 51st state was a serious matter. Donald Trump said, "Yeah it is".
“I think Canada would be much better off being the 51st state because we lose $200 billion a year with Canada. And I’m not going to let that happen. Why are we paying $200 billion a year, essentially a subsidy to Canada?” he said.
Notably, the US buys products from Canada, the natural resource-rich country, including commodities like oil. While the goods trade gap has blown out in the recent years to $72 billion in 2023, the deficit still mostly shows America's imports of energy from Canada.
Donald Trump's repeated stance on Canada
Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that Canada would be better off as the 51st state of US, a proposal deeply resented by Ottawa, its political leaders and people.
This also comes in the background of Donald Trump announcing that he will impose a 25 per cent tariff on all steel and aluminium imports, including those from Canada and Mexico, along with additional import duties starting Monday.
Earlier, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau had during a closed-door meeting said that the Donald Trump's plans of making Canada the 51st state of the US is a "real thing", adding that it is linked to his desire for access to the country's natural resources.
ALSO READ | Donald Trump says US to impose 25% tariff on all steel, aluminium imports
"Mr Trump has it in mind that the easiest way to do it is absorbing our country and it is a real thing. In my conversations with him on it," Trudeau was cited as saying. He said that Washington was very much aware of what resources Canada has, insisting that America wants to be able to benefit from those.
Additionally, in his pre-taped interview, Donald Trump also said that Canada and Mexico did not show him enough action for him to stir away from the tariffs he has threatened to impose.
“No, it’s not good enough,” he said. “Something has to happen. It’s not sustainable. And I’m changing it.”
Last week, the US president had agreed to a 3-day pause on his tariff plan for Mexico and Canada after the two nations took steps to convince and address his concerns over the border security and drug trafficking.
Donald Trump also became the first ever sitting President of the United States to attend the Super Bowl championship game in person. “I thought it would be a good thing for the country to have the president at the game,” he said.
(with AP inputs)
