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Published: March 2, 2025
The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, confirmed on Sunday that protecting Canada's sovereignty and independence is at the top of his priorities, following remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently suggested that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state.
Trudeau stated, before his upcoming meeting with King Charles III, who is the head of state of Canada: “I look forward to sitting down with His Majesty, and as is customary, we will discuss matters of importance to Canada and Canadians, and I can tell you there is nothing that seems more important to Canadians than defending our sovereignty and independence as a nation.”
Trump has repeatedly claimed that Canada “would be better off” if it agreed to become part of the United States, pointing out that Canada's natural resources make it an important strategic target.
Trump responds: “Yes, Canada would be better off as a U.S. state”
During an interview with “Fox News,” Trump reacted to Trudeau's statements, saying: “Yes, it is. I believe Canada would be in a much better position if it became the 51st state, because we lose $200 billion annually because of it, but I won't allow that to happen, that's a huge amount. So why should we pay $200 billion a year in aid to it? But if it becomes our 51st state, I wouldn't mind doing that.”
Trump has repeatedly used the joke about the “51st state” since his meeting with Trudeau during the Thanksgiving holiday at his Florida resort last November. However, the joke turned into more serious remarks after Trump spoke in detail about the reasons he believes Canada should become a U.S. state, hinting at the possibility of using “economic power” against Ottawa.
London Summit: Supporting Ukraine Amid Tensions Between Trump and Zelensky
In a separate context, Trudeau was asked about the tense meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, which saw a heated exchange in front of reporters, especially with Zelensky insisting on getting U.S. “security guarantees” before signing the “minerals deal.”
Trudeau responded, saying: “I stand with Zelensky,” in a clear indication of his continued support for Kyiv.
Trudeau participated on Sunday in the London Summit, which brought together a number of European leaders to discuss European security and rally support for Ukraine, where they confirmed continued support for Kyiv and increased military spending.
State Visit for Trump to Britain
In a separate context, King Charles III extended an invitation to Donald Trump for a state visit to Britain, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered the invitation during a meeting with the U.S. President in the Oval Office.
These developments indicate a rising controversy between Canada and the United States amid Trump's controversial remarks regarding Canada’s annexation, which Trudeau described as “affecting the sovereignty and independence of Canada.”
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