President-elect Donald Trump sparked laughter—and nervous glances—during a Mar-a-Lago meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by joking that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state.
Tariff Threats Spark Tense Talks
The meeting, held Friday at Trump’s Florida resort, followed Trump’s threat to impose a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods. The president blamed Canada for contributing to illegal immigration into the U.S.
Trudeau, making an unexpected trip to Palm Beach, warned that such tariffs would devastate Canada’s economy. Trump reportedly shot back, “So your country can’t survive unless it’s ripping off the U.S. to the tune of $100 billion?”
Statehood Suggestion Triggers Nervous Laughs
Trump then suggested Canada could avoid tariffs by joining the U.S. as the 51st state, prompting nervous laughter from Trudeau and his delegation. Trump quipped that Trudeau could retain his title as a governor, even though “prime minister is a better title.”
Sources told Fox News that the conversation took a playful turn when someone joked Canada would become “a really liberal state.” Trump upped the ante by suggesting Canada could be split into two states—one liberal and one conservative.
Serious Talks on Immigration
Behind the humor, Trump delivered a stern warning about immigration enforcement, emphasizing his administration’s intent to curb illegal crossings from both northern and southern borders. While illegal crossings from Canada remain significantly lower than from Mexico, Trump insisted both nations face potential tariffs if they fail to act.
In a related statement on Truth Social, Trump extended his hardline stance to China, threatening additional import taxes unless the nation imposes stricter penalties on drug traffickers to combat fentanyl’s flow into the U.S.
Border Challenges Intensify
The U.S. Border Patrol reported intercepting over 21,000 migrants crossing from Canada in 2024’s first ten months, with a hotspot in the Swanton Sector—spanning parts of New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Trump’s incoming border czar, Tom Homan, is expected to focus on this region.
Despite the humor-laden remarks, Trump’s meeting with Trudeau underscored his administration’s commitment to tough immigration and trade policies, setting the tone for U.S.-Canada relations in his second term.
