HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA — President Donald Trump is reinserting himself into Canadian politics ahead of Monday’s parliamentary election, bringing back his proposal for the nation to become America’s “51st state.”
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday that Canada would “cease to exist” without the United States and reiterated his belief that the country would be better served as a state.
“I have to be honest, as a state [Canada] works great,” Trump said. “Ninety-five percent of what they do is they buy from us and they sell to us.”
Trump expressed frustration with the Canadian auto industry in particular, threatening to raise the 25% tariff on imported vehicles even higher.
“They took a large percentage of the car-making, and I want to bring it back to this country. I really don’t want cars from Canada, so when I put tariffs on Canada — they’re paying 25% — but that could go up in terms of cars,” the president said Wednesday. “I’d rather see them made in Michigan and made in South Carolina and made in other states, [such as] Tennessee.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney acknowledged the president’s comments during a campaign event later that day.
“As he made clear again today in the Oval Office … he is trying to break us so America can own us. That will never happen. Ever,” Carney said.
Trump’s comments come at an inconvenient time for Carney, who is currently embroiled in a minor dispute over his handling of the president’s past remarks of a similar nature.
Radio-Canada released a report on Thursday asserting that Carney previously glossed over “51st state” comments made to him in a private call.
During the call with Carney last month, Trump reportedly repeated his desire for Canada to join the U.S. This proposal has angered Canadians and driven resentment against the U.S. government.
The fact that those comments were made is a revelation; when Carney was asked about the call on March 28, he asserted that Trump “respected Canada’s sovereignty today both in his private and public comments.”
Two sources confirmed to Radio Canada that the statehood comments were made and that Carney told the president, “We’ll agree to disagree on that one.”
The prime minister’s office later issued a statement that did not deny that the 51st state conversation happened, but claimed Carney made no such response.
“No, the prime minister didn’t say this to President Trump, and he was always clear on the fact that the possibility that Canada could be part of the U.S. is not on the table and never will be,” the office said, according to CBC. “As we face this crisis, Prime Minister Carney is communicating his plan with Canadians everywhere to fight the trade war launched by Trump.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was asked for his opinion on the Carney-Trump call reports during a campaign event on Thursday.
“Mr. Carney said on the contrary. Obviously, Mr. Carney will have to explain that. I did not participate on that call, but I know Canada will never be an American state,” Poilievre responded in French. “We have to defend our sovereignty, and that means focusing on what we can control. What can we control? We can reverse the disastrous Liberal policies that Mr. Carney advised [former Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau to implement.”
It’s not yet clear how the resurrection of Trump’s crusade to bring Canada into the U.S. will affect the polls or how voters will receive Carney’s responses.
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When asked by a reporter on Wednesday for comment on the upcoming election, Trump displayed an uncharacteristic desire to stay out of foreign affairs.
“Look, I love the Canadian people. I like Canada,” he told reporters. “But I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to get involved in their election.”