Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated in a closed meeting with business representatives that he takes Donald Trump’s remarks about potentially turning Canada into the “51st state of the U.S.” seriously.
According to Bloomberg and the Toronto Star, citing attendees of the meeting, Trudeau expressed concern that the U.S. is seeking to exploit Canada’s natural resources and that Trump sees the “absorption” of the country as one possible way to achieve this goal.
Speaking in Toronto before business leaders and politicians, Trudeau emphasized that Canada must explore ways to diversify its trade, given the tariff threats from the U.S.
Other Canadian politicians also stated that they do not consider Trump’s words a joke. British Columbia Premier David Eby accused Trump of trying to “undermine Canada’s economy” as part of a strategy aimed at integrating the country into the U.S.
Canada possesses significant reserves of critical minerals essential for the production of mobile devices, electric vehicle batteries, and military equipment, making it strategically important to the U.S.
Since winning the November election, Trump has repeatedly stated that Canada could avoid economic restrictions if it became the 51st state. On February 1, he signed an executive order imposing a 25% tariff on most goods from Canada and Mexico, to which Trudeau’s government vowed to respond with reciprocal measures.
