Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has disclosed that US President Donald Trump once more brought up the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state of the United States during a phone conversation they had in March.
Although Carney did not mention this detail right after their call on March 28, he later confirmed it during a press conference on Thursday. According to the Globe and Mail, the prime minister revealed, “The president brings this up all the time. He brought it up yesterday. He brought it up before.”
Trump Says the US Loses Money to Canada
President Trump has repeatedly argued that Canada should become part of the United States. In a recent Fox News interview, he claimed the US is financially losing out in its relationship with Canada. “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,” he said.
Trump has made similar statements in the past, insisting that merging Canada into the United States would benefit both countries. He has not given up on pushing the idea publicly.
Carney Gives a Firm ‘No’ to the Idea
Despite the US president’s remarks, Prime Minister Carney has made it absolutely clear that Canada will not become a part of the United States. During his press briefing, he stated, “To be clear, as I’ve said to anyone who’s raised this issue in private or in public, including the president, it will never happen.”
Carney emphasized that Canada is a sovereign nation and that the topic of joining the US is not even worth entertaining.
Trump Claims Canada Depends on the US
As Canadian voters prepare to cast their ballots in an upcoming election, Trump made more controversial remarks on Wednesday. He said that without the United States, Canada would not survive. “Canada would ‘cease to exist’ if it weren’t for the United States,” he claimed.
The US president also continued to push his idea of statehood. “I have to be honest, as a state, it works great,” he added.
Possible Tariff Hike on Canadian Cars
In addition to his political comments, Trump also hinted that he may raise import taxes on vehicles from Canada. Currently, there is a 25% tariff on automobiles, though some exceptions exist under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Car manufacturers are trying to adjust their strategies to reduce the effects of these tariffs.
Trump also maintains a separate 25% tariff on various Canadian goods. He claims this is meant to deal with drug trafficking issues along the border.
