Trudeau Declares Canada Will Never Join the U.S.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is set to leave office, stated that US President Donald Trump’s comments about Canada becoming the 51st state of the United States are a “non-starter.”

Trump has frequently suggested the notion of annexing Canada, expressing once again last week his wish to turn it into “our 51st state.” He mentioned to reporters that he would “love” for this to occur but admitted that some view it as a “long shot.”

As he concluded his visit to Brussels on Wednesday, Trudeau told reporters that the notion of merging Canada with the United States is a “non-starter.”

“There’s absolutely no chance that Canada will become the 51st U.S. state,” he stated. “While it’s never going to happen, we must consider what the president is saying and incorporate it into our strategy as we continue to defend Canada’s interests.”

Trudeau characterized the recent actions of Canadians as “inspiring,” highlighting their willingness to alter vacation plans, seek out opportunities to “buy Canadian,” and back local businesses.

Last week, a hot mic captured Trudeau telling business leaders that Trump is serious about his comments regarding the annexation of Canada. He explained that the U.S. aims to “benefit” from Canada’s natural resources and warned, “Trump believes one of the most straightforward ways to achieve this is by absorbing our country, and it’s a genuine concern.”

Earlier this week, the US president asserted that Canada would face challenges in staying viable without receiving substantial financial support and military protection from Washington.

Trump suggests that the solution is for Canada to join the United States, which would lead to “much lower taxes, far better military protection for Canadians—without any tariffs!”

On Monday, Trump announced that he intends to implement 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports to the United States, including those from Canada, starting in March.

These tariffs would be added to the existing 25% tariff on all Canadian goods that was implemented earlier this month.

Trudeau stated that Canada seeks to avoid a trade dispute with the US, but promised to respond in a “calibrated yet very strong manner” if Trump acts on his threats.

In early February, Trump announced 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, along with an additional 10% on imports from China. He cited concerns over illegal immigration and drug trafficking as the reason for these measures. In retaliation, Canada declared its own set of 25% tariffs targeting various American-made products. However, to avoid a potential trade war escalation, Washington and Ottawa decided to postpone implementing these tariffs until March 4.