The 51st state? Trump’s “joke” is making waves in Canada

The repercussions are still being felt over a supposed joke that may have amused the American representatives, but instead made the Canadian representatives present at the dinner between the future President of the United States and the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, uncomfortable.

Canada could be ‘51st state,’ Trump joked during Mar-a-Lago dinner with Trudeau: Trump made the comment in response to Trudeau’s concerns about 25-per-cent tariffs, Fox news reports

— The Globe and Mail (@theglobeandmail.com) 2024-12-03T13:30:37.855Z

While Justin Trudeau had been invited to Mar-a-Lago by Donald Trump, the latter had threatened Canada a few days earlier with 25% tariffs on all Canadian goods imported into the United States, unless Canada strengthened its border security with regard to illegal immigration and drug trafficking (fentanyl).

At the meeting, the president-elect made a misplaced joke by suggesting that Canada could become the 51st state of the United States, claiming that, in his opinion, the country depends too much on its exports to the United States.

All the Americans sitting around the table reportedly laughed and found the idea rather interesting, while on the Canadian side, the few laughs seem to not have been very enthusiastic.

However, the story gained momentum in some right-wing media, notably Fox News, which argued that annexing Canada would be beneficial for the United States, citing several reasons, including their neighbor’s oil reserves.

In Canada, the joke made during the three-hour dinner meeting also made waves.

Several Canadian officials say they didn’t take the joke seriously, while Trump fueled the situation further by sharing an AI-generated photo montage on his social network, showing him with a Canadian flag, looking at a mountain… that is in fact a Swiss mountain!

Justin Trudeau has held private talks with all opposition party leaders, asking them to work together for House approval of several upcoming measures to strengthen border security.

These measures include major expenditures, such as the purchase of drones, the dispatch of additional helicopters and police officers, as well as the deployment of additional resources.