U.S. President Donald Trump once again raised the idea of annexing Canada, returning to his “51st state” rhetoric during a speech to top military leaders gathered at Marine Corps Base Quantico on Tuesday.
Speaking about his administration’s “Golden Dome” missile defence program, Trump claimed Canada had expressed interest in joining the initiative. “Canada called me a couple of weeks ago, they want to be part of it, to which I said, ‘Well, why don’t you just join our country. You become 51 — become the 51st state — and you get it for free,’” Trump told the assembled officials. “So, I don’t know if that made a big impact, but it does make a lot of sense.”
The president went on to suggest that Canada is struggling under the weight of American tariffs, boasting that investment is leaving Canada for the United States, particularly in the auto sector. His remarks marked a return to months of provocative statements about annexing Canada, a theme he had dialed down in recent weeks as Ottawa attempted to ease bilateral tensions.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has previously rejected Trump’s notion outright, telling the president during a May White House meeting that Canada would never become an American state. Carney has since paused Canada’s digital services tax and scaled back some retaliatory tariffs in an effort to smooth trade relations, but Canadian industries continue to be hit hard by U.S. measures. In August, Trump imposed 35 per cent tariffs on goods deemed non-compliant under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and layered additional duties on steel, aluminum, automobiles, and copper. A new executive order signed this week adds tariffs of 10 per cent on foreign softwood lumber and 25 per cent on kitchen cabinets, vanities, and upholstered wooden furniture, starting October 14.
Trump also tied his “51st state” comments to Canada’s potential participation in the Golden Dome defence program, initially priced at US$61 billion but later raised to US$71 billion. Ottawa has said high-level discussions with Washington are underway, though no agreement has been reached.
The military audience, summoned from postings worldwide by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, reacted in muted fashion, maintaining the non-partisan stance of the U.S. armed services. Trump, accustomed to rally crowds, pressed ahead with his wide-ranging speech, which mixed defence policy with attacks on so-called “woke” policies.
The Prime Minister’s Office declined to comment on Trump’s latest remarks.