President Donald Trump expressed serious intentions regarding the possibility of Canada becoming the 51st state, during an interview that aired on Sunday before the Super Bowl broadcast.
When questioned by Fox News’ Bret Baier about whether his proposal to annex Canada was genuine, Trump replied, “Yeah, it is.” He further elaborated, explaining that Canada could benefit from such a move. “I think Canada would be much better off being the 51st state, because we lose $200 billion a year with Canada. And I’m not going to let that happen,” he said. “Why are we paying $200 billion a year, essentially a subsidy, to Canada?”
The U.S. is not financially supporting Canada as Trump suggests. Instead, the U.S. imports various products from the resource-rich country, such as oil and other natural commodities. In fact, the growing trade deficit of $72 billion in 2023 primarily reflects American imports of Canadian energy resources.

Trump has long maintained that Canada would be in a better position if it agreed to become a U.S. state, though this notion has been met with widespread disapproval from Canadians. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently remarked on this issue during a private meeting with business and labor leaders. He acknowledged that Trump’s proposal was grounded in a desire for access to Canada’s vast natural resources. “Mr. Trump has it in mind that the easiest way to do it is absorbing our country, and it is a real thing,” Trudeau stated, according to CBC. “They’re very aware of our resources of what we have and they very much want to be able to benefit from those.”
In the same interview, which took place in Florida over the weekend, Trump expressed frustration over the lack of sufficient action from both Canada and Mexico to prevent the tariffs he has threatened. “No, it’s not good enough,” he declared. “Something has to happen. It’s not sustainable. And I’m changing it.”
Trump had recently agreed to postpone his decision to impose a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada for 30 days, with the exception of Canadian oil, natural gas, and electricity, which would be subject to a 10% tariff. This followed actions taken by the two countries to address his concerns about border security and drug trafficking.
While aboard Air Force One on Sunday en route to New Orleans for the Super Bowl, Trump shared that he would soon announce a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports to the U.S., including those from Canada and Mexico. Additionally, he hinted at the possibility of implementing reciprocal tariffs later in the week. “Very simply, it’s if they charge us, we charge them,” he explained.
The interview marked a return to tradition, as sitting presidents often grant interviews to the network broadcasting the Super Bowl, which is the most-watched television event of the year. However, both Trump and his successor, Joe Biden, had varying levels of participation in this custom. Biden declined to participate in 2023 and the previous year, despite efforts to arrange a conversation with a Fox Corp. streaming service. During his first term, Trump participated in three out of four years.
Trump also made history by becoming the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl in person. “I thought it would be a good thing for the country to have the president at the game,” he told Baier.
During the flight to New Orleans, Trump signed a proclamation declaring February 9 as “the first ever Gulf of America Day” while Air Force One flew over the Gulf, which he officially renamed in the proclamation from the Gulf of Mexico.
Trump further praised billionaire Elon Musk for his efforts to streamline government operations, an initiative that has drawn significant concern from Democrats. Musk’s controversial Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) aims to eliminate inefficient agencies and reduce the size of the federal workforce. “Musk has been terrific,” Trump said, noting that the next targets would be the Department of Education and the military. “We’re going to find billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse,” he predicted. “I campaigned on this.”
Finally, Trump was asked about his viral dancing, which has become a popular internet meme. “I don’t know what it is. I try and walk off sometimes without dancing, and I can’t. I have to dance because it’s just that — something special about it,” he responded.
{Matzav.com}