
Trump jokes Canada could be 51st state at dinner with Trudeau: Report
By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Bast Bramhall (Video Editor)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told President-elect Donald Trump his proposed tariffs would “kill the Canadian economy” when they met for dinner last week. Trump allegedly responded, “If Canada can’t survive the tariffs, then maybe Canada should become the 51st state and Trudeau can become its governor.”
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Sources at the dinner confirmed the exchange with Fox News when the two met at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Trudeau became the first G7 leader to meet with Trump since the U.S. presidential election in November.

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The leaders discussed several issues, including trade and immigration. Tensions escalated when Trump threatened a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico unless both countries took stronger action to curb migration and drug trafficking into the U.S.
The U.S. is Canada’s largest trading partner, with American imports accounting for about 75% of Canada’s exports. The two countries currently trade under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, a deal signed by Trump in 2020.
Both leaders described the talks as productive. Trudeau posted a picture from the dinner on X, thanking Trump in the caption. He said, “I look forward to the work we can do together, again.”
Before his dinner with Trudeau, Trump also spoke with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum last week. During that conversation, Trump reiterated his threat of high tariffs unless Mexico took more decisive action at its border with the U.S.
PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP MET WITH CANADA’S PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU FOR DINNER LAST WEEK –
AND PART OF THEIR CONVERSATION IS PEAKING INTEREST.
TRUDEAU REPORTEDLY TOLD TRUMP THE PROPOSED TARIFFS WOULD “KILL THE CANADIAN ECONOMY” –
TO WHICH TRUMP REPORTEDLY RESPONDED “IF CANADA CAN’T SURVIVE THE TARIFFS –
THEN MAYBE CANADA SHOULD BECOME THE 51ST STATE –
AND TRUDEAU CAN BECOME ITS GOVERNOR.”
THIS IS ACCORDING TO SOURCES AT THE DINNER WHO SPOKE WITH FOX NEWS.
THE CONVERSATION TOOK PLACE AT TRUMP’S MAR-A-LAGO RESORT IN FLORIDA, WHERE TRUDEAU BECAME THE FIRST G7 LEADER TO MEET WITH TRUMP SINCE THE U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.
SOURCES TOLD FOX THE TWO LEADERS DISCUSSED A RANGE OF ISSUES, INCLUDING TRADE AND IMMIGRATION. BUT TENSIONS ROSE WHEN TRUMP THREATENED A 25 PERCENT TARIFF ON IMPORTS FROM CANADA AND MEXICO, UNLESS BOTH COUNTRIES TOOK STRONGER ACTIONS TO CURB MIGRATION AND DRUG TRAFFICKING INTO THE U.S.
“When trudeau told trump that new tarriffs would kill the canadian economy, trump joked to him that if canada can’t survive without ripping off the u.s. To the tune of 100 billion dollars a year, then maybe canada should become the 51st state and trudeau could become its governor.”
THE U.S. IS CANADA’S LARGEST TRADING PARTNER, WITH AMERICAN IMPORTS ACCOUNTING FOR ABOUT 75 PERCENT OF CANADA’S EXPORTS. BOTH COUNTRIES CURRENTLY TRADE UNDER THE U.S.-MEXICO-CANADA AGREEMENT, A DEAL THAT TRUMP SIGNED IN 2020.
BOTH LEADERS CALLED THE TALKS PRODUCTIVE.
WITH TRUDEAU POSTING THIS PICTURE FROM THE DINNER ON X – THANKING TRUMP IN THE CAPTION AND SAYING “I LOOK FORWARD TO THE WORK WE CAN DO TOGETHER, AGAIN.”
TRUMP ALSO HELD TALKS WITH MEXICO’S PRESIDENT CLAUDIA SHEINBAUM LAST WEEK DURING A PHONE CALL AHEAD OF HIS DINNER WITH TRUDEAU – REITERATING HIS THREAT OF HIGH TARIFFS UNLESS MEXICO TAKES STRONGER ACTION AT ITS BORDER WITH THE U.S.
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