Trump again suggests that Canada become the 51st US state – RT in French

After the announcement of the upcoming resignation of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, United States President-elect Donald Trump once again estimated that Canada would emerge a winner if it “merged” with the United States.

“Many people in Canada would like to be the 51st state. The United States can no longer tolerate the huge trade deficits and subsidies necessary for Canada to survive. Justin Trudeau knew it and resigned,” Donald Trump wrote on January 6 on his Truth social network, following the announcement by the Canadian Prime Minister of his “intention” to resign.

The American president-elect, who is due to take office on January 20, declared that if Canada “merged” with the United States, there “would be no customs duties”, taxes “would drop considerably” for its inhabitants and the country would be “totally safe” in the face of the “threat of Russian and Chinese ships which constantly surround it”. “Together, what a great nation it would be!” he concluded.

“Canada just needs to become the 51st American state,” Donald Trump said at the end of November, during a dinner at his Mar-a-Lago residence with Justin Trudeau. Meeting requested by Ottawa following threats from the President-elect of the United States to increase customs tariffs by 25% on products imported from Canada and Mexico, if they did not stem drug trafficking and illegal immigration to their neighbor.

If this statement then appeared as a joke – to which Trudeau would have responded with a “nervous laugh”, according to Fox News -, Donald Trump has since reiterated his controversial proposal regarding this integration of Canada within the United States.

“Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st state. They would save massively on taxes and military protection. I think it’s a great idea. 51st State!” he declared on Truth Social in mid-December.

The Trump “challenge” for Ottawa

In difficulty both in public opinion and within his party itself, Justin Trudeau declared to the press on January 6 his “intention to resign”. The imminence of this announcement had leaked to the Canadian press. This was to take place before a national meeting of the party scheduled for January 8 “in order not to give the impression that he was forced to leave,” reported The Globe and Mailciting several sources within the Liberals.

Trudeau’s governance was particularly shaken in mid-December, when Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland resigned. “Over the past few weeks, you and I have found ourselves at odds over the best path forward for Canada,” she wrote to the Prime Minister in her resignation letter, published on social networks, citing “serious challenges posed by the United States.