Donald Trump reportedly suggested to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that if he didn’t like the tariff the president-elect threatened to impose, perhaps Canada could become the 51st state and Trudeau could serve as its governor. Trudeau laughed nervously at the apparent joke, Fox News reported. (Watch the video below.)
Trudeau had high-tailed it to Trump’s Florida base after the president-elect threatened to slam America’s northern neighbour with a 25% tariff on its goods, accusing Canada of being lax on immigration and drug enforcement at the border.
Fox News’ Peter Doocy reported on the exchange on Monday, citing two sources who sat at the same table with the leaders during their meal.
“We are told that when Trudeau told President-elect Trump that new tariffs would kill the Canadian economy, Trump joked to him that if Canada can’t survive without ripping off the US to the tune of $100 billion a year, then maybe Canada should become the 51st state and Trudeau could become its governor,” Doocy reported.
According to the conservative network, someone at the table noted that a Canadian state in the US would be liberal, prompting Trump to say that the territory could be divided into two states, one liberal and one conservative. That reportedly drew more laughter.
If the tariff were imposed, Trudeau might not be the PM to deal with the later effects. He is deemed unlikely to win re-election.
Trump’s humour-veiled bombast last weekend was somewhat reminiscent of his declared wish to purchase Greenland during his first presidency.