Trump reiterates 51st state threat as Carney prepares for critical White House meeting
CBC
Sun, May 4, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Donald Trump, seen here in separate photos, will meet at the White House on Tuesday. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press - image credit)
U.S. President Donald Trump is doubling down on threats to make Canada the 51st state and says he'll "always talk about that" as Prime Minister Mark Carney prepares for a crucial White House meeting and insists Canadian sovereignty is not up for discussion.
"You don't even realize what a beautiful country it would be. It would be great," Trump told host Kristen Welker during an interview on NBC's Meet The Press which aired Sunday.
"I'll always talk about that. You know why? We subsidize Canada to the tune of $200 billion a year," Trump added, reiterating his false claim over the U.S. trade deficit with Canada.
When asked if he'd consider using military force to annex Canada, Trump said he thinks "we're not gonna ever get to that point" but "something could happen with Greenland" — the autonomous Danish territory which he's also mentioned absorbing.
The U.S. president's renewed threats come as Carney prepares to meet him on Tuesday for a comprehensive set of discussions on tariffs and the broader Canada-U.S. relationship.
On Friday, at his first press conference since becoming prime minister, Carney said he's going to the White House "with the expectation of constructive — difficult, but constructive discussions."
But Carney has long maintained he would only speak with Trump once the U.S. president shows respect for Canada. The prime minister was pressed by reporters on this issue during his press conference.
"It's always important to distinguish want from reality," Carney said in response, adding that Canadians have clearly stated that Canada will never join the U.S.
"There'll be zigs and zags, ups and downs, but as I said in my remarks I will fight for the best deal for Canada and only accept the best deal for Canada."
Trump told Welker that he congratulated Carney for his election win. The U.S. president also noted Carney's minority government will "make things a little bit difficult for him to run. But he nevertheless had a victory and he's a nice man, I'd think."
Carney-Trump meeting 'a good start'
Everett Eissenstat, who served as deputy director of Trump's National Economic Council during his first term, says the upcoming meeting is "certainly a good start" but "it's unlikely that the relationship will be sorted out within a single meeting."
Eissenstat's advice to Carney is pragmatism over emotions. He said in an interview on Rosemary Barton Live there's "an opportunity to open the aperture beyond just the traditional trade discussion that I think could be very, very fruitful."
"The president wants to achieve a different type of relationship," Eissenstat told host Rosemary Barton on Sunday. "It's obvious to me in hearing some of the comments from the now- prime minister that he does as well."
There are a lot of tariffs on the table, Eissenstat said. The U.S. has imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, non-U.S. content of Canadian-made passenger vehicles and goods that aren't compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
There's also 10 per cent tariffs on energy products in CUSMA and potash products not covered by CUSMA. Canada has retaliated with tariffs on more than $60-billion worth of U.S. goods and on vehicles imported from the U.S. that are not CUSMA-compliant.
Eissenstat said getting rid of those tariffs could be contingent on Canada addressing other irritants Trump has raised, like defence spending.
And then there's the 51st state threats. "I don't conceivably see any scenario where that could actually happen, but I do understand how disturbing it is and how emotive that language can be," Eissenstat said.
Sun, May 4, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Donald Trump, seen here in separate photos, will meet at the White House on Tuesday. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press - image credit)
U.S. President Donald Trump is doubling down on threats to make Canada the 51st state and says he'll "always talk about that" as Prime Minister Mark Carney prepares for a crucial White House meeting and insists Canadian sovereignty is not up for discussion.
"You don't even realize what a beautiful country it would be. It would be great," Trump told host Kristen Welker during an interview on NBC's Meet The Press which aired Sunday.
"I'll always talk about that. You know why? We subsidize Canada to the tune of $200 billion a year," Trump added, reiterating his false claim over the U.S. trade deficit with Canada.
When asked if he'd consider using military force to annex Canada, Trump said he thinks "we're not gonna ever get to that point" but "something could happen with Greenland" — the autonomous Danish territory which he's also mentioned absorbing.
The U.S. president's renewed threats come as Carney prepares to meet him on Tuesday for a comprehensive set of discussions on tariffs and the broader Canada-U.S. relationship.
On Friday, at his first press conference since becoming prime minister, Carney said he's going to the White House "with the expectation of constructive — difficult, but constructive discussions."
But Carney has long maintained he would only speak with Trump once the U.S. president shows respect for Canada. The prime minister was pressed by reporters on this issue during his press conference.
"It's always important to distinguish want from reality," Carney said in response, adding that Canadians have clearly stated that Canada will never join the U.S.
"There'll be zigs and zags, ups and downs, but as I said in my remarks I will fight for the best deal for Canada and only accept the best deal for Canada."
Trump told Welker that he congratulated Carney for his election win. The U.S. president also noted Carney's minority government will "make things a little bit difficult for him to run. But he nevertheless had a victory and he's a nice man, I'd think."
Carney-Trump meeting 'a good start'
Everett Eissenstat, who served as deputy director of Trump's National Economic Council during his first term, says the upcoming meeting is "certainly a good start" but "it's unlikely that the relationship will be sorted out within a single meeting."
Eissenstat's advice to Carney is pragmatism over emotions. He said in an interview on Rosemary Barton Live there's "an opportunity to open the aperture beyond just the traditional trade discussion that I think could be very, very fruitful."
"The president wants to achieve a different type of relationship," Eissenstat told host Rosemary Barton on Sunday. "It's obvious to me in hearing some of the comments from the now- prime minister that he does as well."
There are a lot of tariffs on the table, Eissenstat said. The U.S. has imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, non-U.S. content of Canadian-made passenger vehicles and goods that aren't compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
There's also 10 per cent tariffs on energy products in CUSMA and potash products not covered by CUSMA. Canada has retaliated with tariffs on more than $60-billion worth of U.S. goods and on vehicles imported from the U.S. that are not CUSMA-compliant.
Eissenstat said getting rid of those tariffs could be contingent on Canada addressing other irritants Trump has raised, like defence spending.
And then there's the 51st state threats. "I don't conceivably see any scenario where that could actually happen, but I do understand how disturbing it is and how emotive that language can be," Eissenstat said.
Anand 'enthusiastic' about Carney's meeting
Innovation Minister and Oakville East MP-elect Anita Anand told Barton that she's "very enthusiastic" about Carney's upcoming meeting. She added Carney can now fulfil his election mandate to ensure "Canada's economic sovereignty is protected."
"My hope and our hope is that this will be the continuation of a productive conversation and a productive relationship between our two countries," Anand said, adding that the White House meeting is the start, not the end of Canada's dialogue with the United States over shared issues.
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Anita Anand arrives for a cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations and national security on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, April 11, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)
As Canada irons out its relationship with the United States, Carney will need to contend with a minority government that requires cooperation from other parties.
Anand said she hopes there will be more collaboration at the House of Commons and pointed to Canada's COVID-19 response as a sign federal parties can work together to address critical issues.
"There is room for us after this election to come and to say 'let's work together in the best interests of our great country,'" Anand said.
Trump says 'highly unlikely' US uses military force to annex Canada
SOMEONE HAD HIM WATCH 'CANADIAN BACON'
Francesca Chambers, USA TODAY
Sun, May 4, 2025
WASHINGTON — In an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press", President Donald Trump said he still wants to make Canada the 51st U.S. state and does not envision the United States using military force to seize the neighboring country.
During the interview, which aired on May 4, Trump said he's still interested in annexing Canada but does not label it in the same category as Greenland, a Danish territory Trump has repeatedly suggested the U.S. could one day be compelled to acquire.
Asked if he would rule out military force to take Canada, Trump told "Meet the Press" host Kristen Welker: "Well, I think we’re not going to ever get to that point. It could happen, something could happen with Greenland. I’ll be honest, we need that for national and international security."
"But I think it’s highly unlikely," Trump added, as Welker chimed in to buttonhole him on Canada. "I don’t see it with Canada. I just don’t see it, I have to be honest with you," he said with a laugh.
Trade tensions with Canada
The relationship between Canada and the United States has been tense since Trump threatened the country with blistering tariffs. At a late November dinner in Florida with former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, he upped the ante by suggesting that Canada give up its sovereignty and become part of the United States. Trump proceeded to needle Trudeau, calling him "Governor" of the "Great State of Canada" on social media.
Trudeau, under pressure from his party to resign amid falling polling, said in early January that he would leave his office. Trump followed through with tariffs anyway, which he said were about fentanyl distribution and drug trafficking, and hit Canada and Mexico with a 25% fee on imports.
The tariffs would later spark boycotts in Canada of American goods and helped propel Trudeau's replacement, liberal Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, to victory in an April 28 election. In a fiery speech, Carney declared that the U.S. would never own the nation and told Canadians that Canada must look out for itself.
"As I have been warning for months, America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country," Carney said. "But these are not idle threats. President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us. That will never ever happen."
Trump on annexation plan: 'What a beautiful country it would be'
Carney says he will meet with Trump at the White House on May 6. Trump told NBC that Carney is a "nice man" and confirmed he would soon visit.
"He called me, he was very nice, and I congratulated him," Trump said of his call with Carney after the election. "It’s a very close victory. You know, there’s no majority or anything, so that’s going to make things a little bit difficult, I think, for him to run. But he nevertheless had a victory."
Trump indicated he plans to bring up his proposed annexation of Canada during the meeting with Carney.
"If you look at our map, if you look at the geography — I’m a real estate guy at heart. When I look down at that without that artificial line that was drawn with a ruler many years ago — it was just an artificial line, goes straight across, what a beautiful country it would be. It would be great," Trump said.
Underscoring his argument for Canada to volunteer and become a U.S. state, Trump told NBC that the United States doesn't want or need anything the country produces.
"We don’t need anything. We do very little business with Canada," Trump said. "They do all of their business practically with us. They need us. We don’t need them."
Canada is one of the United States' top two trading partners. The United States exported $349.4 billion in goods to Canada in 2024, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. U.S. goods imports from Canada totaled $412.7 billion in the same year.
Trump has argued that the gap between Canada and the U.S. is much larger when defense spending is accounted for. Canada is one of a handful of NATO nations that spends less of its GDP, as a percentage, on military expenditures than the alliance's mutually agreed upon guidelines.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY
CANADIAN TEACHES YANK HAND TO HAND COMBAT
'THE DEVILS BRIGADE' (1968)
No comments:
Post a Comment