Trudeau says Trump is serious about Canada becoming 51st state: reports

President Donald Trump has for weeks suggested that Canada go the United States’ 51st state, and portion sentiment has been divided astir whether Trump is superior oregon simply trolling its neighbor, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has reportedly said that it’s the former, according to reports.

In a closed-door gathering with Canadian concern and labour leaders, Trudeau reportedly affirmed that Trump’s ambitious aims of annexation are "a existent thing."

"Mr. Trump has it successful caput that the easiest mode to bash it is absorbing our state and it is simply a existent thing. In my conversations with him connected …" Trudeau said earlier the microphone chopped out, according to CBC.

President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minster Justin Trudeau. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images, left, CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images, right.)

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The quality media had been asked to permission the country earlier Trudeau delivered his comments, but CBC and The Toronto Star were capable to perceive them and grounds them.

"I suggest that not lone does the Trump medication cognize however galore captious minerals we have, but that whitethorn beryllium adjacent wherefore they support talking astir absorbing america and making america the 51st state," Trudeau added according to radical successful the country who listened to his comments. "They’re precise alert of our resources, of what we have, and they precise overmuch privation to beryllium capable to payment from those."

Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labor, confirmed what Trudeau said successful a station connected societal level X.

"Yes, I tin corroborate that Trudeau said his appraisal is that what Trump truly wants is not enactment connected fentanyl oregon migration oregon adjacent the commercialized deficit, what helium truly wants is to either predominate Canada oregon instrumentality it outright," McGowan wrote. "Tariffs are a maneuver towards that end."

Trump first pitched the thought during a meal astatine Mar-a-Lago with Trudeau successful precocious November. Trump has besides suggested annexing Greenland.

Canada is location to much than 40 cardinal radical and is simply a founding NATO partner. It is simply a earthy resource-rich federation that provides the U.S. with commodities specified arsenic oil.

Trump has long said Canada – arsenic good arsenic Mexico – has failed to bash capable to forestall the travel of illegal migrants and drugs, peculiarly fentanyl into the U.S. In addition, Trump claims the U.S. has subsidized Canada to the tune of $200 cardinal annually. 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has reportedly said that President Donald Trump is superior astir Canada becoming the United States’ 51st state. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press via AP)

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Last weekend, Trump again repeated his proposition of absorbing Canada, noting that it would not beryllium subjected to his incoming tariffs should the state articulation the U.S.

"We wage hundreds of Billions of Dollars to SUBSIDIZE Canada. Why? There is nary reason," Trump wrote connected Truth Social. "We don’t request thing they have. We person unlimited Energy, should marque our ain Cars, and person much Lumber than we tin ever use. Without this monolithic subsidy, Canada ceases to exist as a viable Country. Harsh but true!" 

"Therefore, Canada should go our Cherished 51st State," Trump added. "Much little taxes, and acold amended subject extortion for the radical of Canada – AND NO TARIFFS!" 

But Trump agreed to intermission the tariffs for 30 days connected Monday aft a telephone with Trudeau, who made immoderate concessions to temporarily stave disconnected the levies. 

Trudeau said Canada volition instrumentality a $1.3 cardinal borderline program and name a fentanyl czar. In addition, Canada volition reinforce its border with caller helicopters, technology, unit and enhanced coordination with American authorities. He added that astir 10,000 unit are and volition beryllium moving connected borderline protection.

"We volition database cartels arsenic terrorists, guarantee 24/7 eyes connected the border, motorboat a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and wealth laundering," Trudeau wrote connected X. "I person besides signed a caller quality directive connected organized transgression and fentanyl and we volition beryllium backing it with $200 million."

President Donald Trump has been touting a program to marque Canada the 51st authorities since November. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)

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The U.S. imports astir 60% of its crude lipid from Canada, with Alberta unsocial supplying 4.3 cardinal barrels per day. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the U.S. consumes astir 20 cardinal barrels a day, portion domestically producing astir 13.2 cardinal barrels a day. This means astir a 4th of the lipid the U.S. consumes each time is from Canada.

Canada is the apical export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $2.7 cardinal worthy of goods and services transverse the borderline each day.

Meanwhile, Canada is location to dozens of minerals considered captious for usage successful assorted industries, including for electrical car batteries, star panels, and semiconductors, according to the New York Times. Some commonly recognized examples of captious minerals see lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and zinc.

Fox News’ Danielle Wallace and Louis Casiano, arsenic good arsenic The Associated Press, contributed to this report.