President-elect Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Tuesday to mock Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, referring to him as the “governor” of the “Great State of Canada” amid ongoing discussions on trade tariffs. Trump’s comment, made after dinner with Trudeau, follows his recent remarks suggesting Canada should become the 51st state to address the U.S.-Canada trade deficit.
Trump reiterated his stance during a “Meet the Press” interview, arguing that the U.S. subsidizes Canada and Mexico to the tune of billions of dollars annually, proposing that if the U.S. is “subsidizing” these countries, they should join the U.S. as states. While Trudeau’s office has not yet commented on the remarks, he did respond on Monday, stating that Canada would take action against any “unfair tariffs,” similar to previous responses to trade policies.
Trump’s dinner with Trudeau, held at Mar-a-Lago on November 30, reportedly included discussions on trade, the fentanyl crisis, and immigration. Although Trudeau characterized the meeting as “excellent,” he did not elaborate on the conversation further.
Senator Bernie Sanders also humorously responded to Trump’s remarks, suggesting that if Canada became part of the U.S., Americans could benefit from Canada’s healthcare system, which offers lower per capita costs.
