During a meeting with President Trump on Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney firmly stated that Canada was “not for sale,” pushing back against Trump’s ongoing suggestion that Canada could join the U.S. as the 51st state.
Trump reiterated that there are significant advantages to incorporating Canada, supposedly leading to substantial tax cuts and other perks for Canadians.
“I still think it’s a viable idea. But it costs two tangos, right?” he remarked, hinting at the potential benefits for Canadian citizens if they became part of the U.S.
While Trump noted that he and Carney hadn’t delved deeply into the topic of statehood during their discussions, Carney was clear that the matter wasn’t controversial in his view.
“It’s not for sale. It’s not for sale, but we can certainly create opportunities together through partnership,” Carney asserted, emphasizing that Canadian sentiments on this subject remain unchanged.
However, Trump suggested he isn’t ready to abandon the notion just yet.
“I say I’ll never give it up. I’ve finally become feasible,” he stated. “Canada loves us, and we love Canada. I believe that’s the key point, but we’ll see what happens.”
Carney recently took office after winning elections, succeeding former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who generally backed Trump’s approach to tariffs on Canadian products.
In a previous interview, Trump raised the idea of Canada becoming part of the U.S. and insisted he wasn’t joking about it.
