HOT MIC: Trudeau Alarmed Over Trump’s ’51st State’ Proposal
Former President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire for the United States to annex Canada, calling it the country’s “51st state.”
While many political analysts and legislators believe these remarks were made in jest, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whom Trump often refers to as “Governor Trudeau,” reportedly takes the notion seriously, according to the Associated Press.
Trudeau is said to have privately told Canadian business and labor leaders that Trump’s annexation talk is a “real thing.”
“Mr. Trump has it in mind that the easiest way to do it is absorbing our country, and it is a real thing. In my conversations with him on …” Trudeau was overheard saying on a hot mic before the audio was cut off, according to a CBC report.
Although the meeting was held behind closed doors with press removed from the room, reporters from CBC and the Toronto Star were able to capture parts of the conversation.
“I suggest that not only does the Trump administration know how many critical minerals we have, but that may be even why they keep talking about absorbing us and making us the 51st state,” Trudeau allegedly added, as reported by journalists present. “They’re very aware of our resources, of what we have, and they very much want to be able to benefit from those.”
Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labor, corroborated Trudeau’s remarks in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
“Yes, I can confirm that Trudeau said his assessment is that what Trump really wants is not action on fentanyl or immigration or even the trade deficit, what he really wants is to either dominate Canada or take it outright,” McGowan stated. “Tariffs are a tactic towards that end.”
See the evidence below:
This isn’t the first time Trump has discussed territorial expansion. He previously floated the idea of purchasing Greenland from Denmark during a meeting with Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago in November.
Last week, Trump once again referred to Canada as the potential “51st state” after threatening to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian imports unless Trudeau’s government took stricter measures to curb illegal drugs and immigration across the border.
“We pay hundreds of Billions of Dollars to SUBSIDIZE Canada. Why? There is no reason. We don’t need anything they have. We have unlimited Energy, should make our own Cars, and have more Lumber than we can ever use. Without this massive subsidy, Canada ceases to exist as a viable Country. Harsh but true! Therefore, Canada should become our cherished 51st state. Much lower taxes, and far better military protection for the people of Canada – AND NO TARIFFS!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
In response, Trudeau announced new initiatives to address U.S. concerns. “We will list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24/7 eyes on the border, and launch a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl, and money laundering. I have also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl, and we will be backing it with $200 million,” Trudeau posted on X.
In a temporary concession, Trump agreed to a 30-day delay on his plans to impose tariffs, which included 25% on Canadian goods and 10% on oil, natural gas, and electricity. The delay provides Canada an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to border security.
Canada has since unveiled a $1.3 billion border security initiative, equivalent to around $900 million USD. This plan includes deploying drones, helicopters, and additional border guards, as well as forming a joint task force. Trudeau also announced the appointment of a new “fentanyl czar” to serve as a liaison between Canada and the U.S., despite statistics showing less than 1% of fentanyl and illegal immigration originates from Canada.
“We need to be very deliberate about how we continue to engage closely with the United States to make the case that Canada is responsible for a tiny part of the North American fentanyl problem, but that we are also bitterly touched by this tragedy,” Trudeau said.