Trump publicly provokes Canada’s Trudeau: “Why not make it the 51st State?”

In a provocative post on Truth Social, Donald Trump questioned Canada's annual subsidies, suggesting that many Canadians might prefer their country as the 51st state of the U.S. His remarks come as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau grapples with a political crisis following the resignation of a key minister. While Trump's comments have often been lighthearted, they now resonate with a more serious undertone amid Trudeau's struggles..Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here..The seventh BizNews Conference, BNC#7, is to be held in Hermanus from March 11 to 13, 2025. The 2025 BizNews Conference is designed to provide an excellent opportunity for members of the BizNews community to interact directly with the keynote speakers, old (and new) friends from previous BNC events – and to interact with members of the BizNews team. Register for BNC#7 here..By Brendan Murray___STEADY_PAYWALL___.Donald Trump lobbed a fresh taunt at Canada as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tries to weather a crisis sparked by the sudden departure of a minister who was a bulwark against the US president-elect's plan to start trade wars with his neighbors.."No one can answer why we subsidize Canada to the tune of over $100,000,000 a year? Makes no sense!" Trump said in a post early Wednesday on Truth Social. "Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State. They would save massively on taxes and military protection. I think it is a great idea. 51st State!!!".Trump has been joking that Canada could always become the US's 51st state — and Trudeau its governor — ever since the Canadian leader rushed out to see him at his Mar-a-Lago resort. But the light-hearted comments seemingly made in jest over a Thanksgiving dinner have taken a more sinister undertone with Trudeau now fighting for his political survival..Justin Trudeau on Dec. 17. Photographer: Kamara Morozuk/Bloomberg.It's unclear why Trump cited the figure of $100 million and he's used $100 billion in the past. The US goods trade deficit with Canada through October was $50.5 billion and the gap for all of 2023 was $64.3 billion, according to Census data. In a 2018 post on the social media platform known as Twitter at the time, he complained about how Canada makes "almost $100 Billion Dollars in Trade with U.S.".On Ottawa on Tuesday, Trudeau tried to downplay the most serious challenge yet facing his leadership. "Like most families, sometimes we have fights around the holidays," he told a gathering for his Liberal Party's 153 lawmakers and their staffers..That was a glancing reference to the exit of his longtime trusted Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, a day after she shocked the country by publishing a scathing resignation letter..In an earlier post, Trump welcomed her departure, calling her "totally toxic.".Read also:.🔒FT's Simon Kuper: Trump is a test for the 'Great Man' theory🔒Trump appoints David Sacks as AI and crypto czar🔒FT: Meta's Mark Zuckerberg seeks 'active role' in Donald Trump's tech policies.© 2024 Bloomberg L.P.

Trump publicly provokes Canada’s Trudeau: “Why not make it the 51st State?”

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