Trump Floats Annexing Canada as 51st State During Super Bowl Interview
In an interview that aired during the Super Bowl preshow, President Donald Trump reiterated his interest in Canada becoming the 51st state of the United States, a notion that has been met with resistance north of the border, The Associated Press reports.
Speaking to Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier, Trump confirmed the seriousness of his remarks, dismissing concerns raised by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“Yeah it is,” Trump said when asked if his annexation talk was “a real thing.”
Trump argued that absorbing Canada would be beneficial for the United States, claiming the country loses $200 billion annually in trade with its northern neighbor.
“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, alleging, “Why are we paying $200 billion a year, essentially a subsidy to Canada?”
Prime Minister Trudeau addressed the issue on Friday, warning business and labor leaders that Trump’s interest in making Canada the 51st state was indeed “a real thing,” driven by a desire to exploit Canada’s natural resources. According to CBC, Trudeau said that Trump believes “the easiest way to do it is absorbing our country and it is a real thing.”
On his way to the Super Bowl in New Orleans, Trump further escalated tensions, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that Canada is “not viable as a country” without U.S. trade. He also questioned Canada’s reliance on the US for military protection:
“You know, they don’t pay very much for military. And the reason they don’t pay much is they assume that we’re going to protect them. That’s not an assumption they can make because — why are we protecting another country?”
In the same interview, Trump expressed dissatisfaction with efforts from Canada and Mexico to address his concerns regarding border security and drug trafficking, threatening to impose tariffs on imports once a 30-day extension expires.
“No, it’s not good enough,” he said. “Something has to happen. It’s not sustainable. And I’m changing it.”
Trump had previously agreed to pause his plan to impose tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada after receiving assurances from both nations.
Trump’s appearance on the Super Bowl preshow marked a return to a tradition where the sitting president grants an interview to the network broadcasting the game. Trump was also the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl in person.
