U.S. President Donald Trump is once again calling on Canadians to consider becoming the 51st state — this time on the morning of the federal election.
On Monday, Trump posted on Truth Social that Canadians should elect a leader who would lower taxes, increase military might and eradicate tariffs, though he didn’t mention any specific candidate.
“Good luck to the Great people of Canada. Elect the man who has the strength and wisdom to cut your taxes in half, increase your military power, for free, to the highest level in the World, have your Car, Steel, Aluminum, Lumber, Energy, and all other businesses, QUADRUPLE in size, WITH ZERO TARIFFS OR TAXES, if Canada becomes the cherished 51st. State of the United States of America,” he posted.
“No more artificially drawn line from many years ago. Look how beautiful this land mass would be. Free access with NO BORDER. ALL POSITIVES WITH NO NEGATIVES. IT WAS MEANT TO BE! America can no longer subsidize Canada with the Hundreds of Billions of Dollars a year that we have been spending in the past. It makes no sense unless Canada is a State,” he continued.
Trump’s 51st state comments started during his second term as president, his looming presence swiftly raising the stakes in what has become a historic election in Canada.
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Trump’s persistent undermining of Canada’s autonomy, bolstered in part by a tariff war that began in North America before escalating globally, has cast a shadow over the federal election, forcing many Canadian voters to consider which candidate they think is best equipped to manage the Trump administration.
Though his rhetoric around Canada’s sovereignty has taken a back seat in recent weeks, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said early this month that Trump still intends to make Canada the 51st state.
Last week, in an interview with Time magazine to mark Trump’s first 100 days in office, the president restated his desire to annex Canada.
“You’ve talked about acquiring Greenland, taking control of the Panama Canal, and making Canada the 51st state. Maybe you’re trolling a little bit on that one. I don’t know,” the interviewer said, according to a transcript of the interview posted online by the publication.
“Actually, no, I’m not,” Trump responded.
“I’m really not trolling. Canada is an interesting case.”
Trump went on to falsely claim that the U.S. spends billions of dollars a year “supporting Canada” and repeated his barb about former prime minister Justin Trudeau, calling him “governor.”
“I asked a man who I called Governor Trudeau. I said, ‘Why? Why do you think we’re losing so much money supporting you? Do you think that’s right? Do you think that’s appropriate for another country to make it possible, for a country to sustain’ and he was unable to give me an answer,” Trump said.
He then claimed that the U.S. pays for Canada’s military and “every aspect” of Canadians’ lives.
In a campaign video on Monday morning, Liberal Party Leader Mark Carney — who, as of Sunday night, was leading his closest rival Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre by four percentage points, according to an Ipsos poll — said, “This is Canada, and we decide what happens here, let’s choose to be united and strong.”
Poilievre responded to Trump’s latest jab at Canada in a social media post, writing on X on Monday: “President Trump, stay out of our election. The only people who will decide the future of Canada are Canadians at the ballot box. Canada will always be proud, sovereign, and independent, and we will NEVER be the 51st state.”
Canadians can vote from coast to coast to coast on Monday. Global News will bring you live, real-time results and winners online and on our broadcast channels.
— With files from Global News’ Uday Rana
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