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We don’t have enough problems now? He wants to annex the rest of the Northern Hemisphere?

Trump Confirms He’s Serious About Wanting Canada As 51st State

Alison Durkee

Forbes Staff

Alison is a senior news reporter covering US politics and legal news.

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Feb 9, 2025,04:48pm EST

Updated Feb 10, 2025, 11:24am EST

President Donald Trump is serious about his repeated suggestions that Canada should become the U.S.’ “51st state,” he confirmed in an interview that aired before the Super Bowl on Sunday, after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned the country’s business leaders Trump’s desire to absorb the northern country—which had been taken as a joke—is a “real thing.”

President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shake hands during a meeting in … [+]

AFP via Getty Images

Key Facts

Fox News host Bret Baier asked Trump whether Trudeau was right in telling business leaders the U.S. president’s threat to absorb Canada is a “real thing,” to which Trump agreed with Trudeau and responded, “Yes it is.”

Trump claimed Canada “would be much better off” being a U.S. state and complained about the $200 billion the U.S. pays to Canada each year, a number the Trump administration has previously said is based on the amount the U.S. spends on defense, which Canada benefits from, plus the U.S.’ trade deficit with Canada.

“I’m not gonna let that happen,” Trump said about the money the U.S. gives to Canada, claiming the U.S. is paying money “essentially in subsidy to Canada” and adding, “Now, if they’re the 51st state, I don’t mind doing it.”

Trump has repeatedly suggested in recent months he wants the U.S. to absorb Canada, referring to the country as the “51st state” and to Trudeau as a “governor,” rather than prime minister.

While those comments have largely been downplayed as Trump not being serious or just trying to negotiate with Canada, Trudeau reportedly warned business leaders Friday to take the president’s threats seriously, claiming Trump’s desire to absorb Canada is a “real thing.”

Trudeau pointed to Canada’s natural resources and claimed the Trump administration is “very aware of our resources, of what we have and they very much want to be able to benefit from those,” arguing Trump “has it in mind that one of the easiest ways of doing that is absorbing our country.”

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Crucial Quote

“Not only does the Trump administration know how many critical minerals we have, but that may be even why they keep talking about absorbing us and making us the 51st state,” Trudeau reportedly told attendees at a summit of business and labor leaders Friday, as quoted by The Guardian, which reports Trudeau “hastily” called the meeting to coordinate the country’s response to Trump’s threat of 25% tariffs on Canadian imports.

What Have Trump Officials Said?

Trump’s National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett also suggested Monday the president could be serious about wanting to annex Canada, arguing to CNBC the U.S. didn’t begin with 50 states. “When the US was founded, how many states did we have? And how many do we have now?” Hassett said. “And so, is it outlandish?”