Trump claims the US is losing billions to Canada and suggests annexation
US President Donald Trump has once again floated the idea of annexing Canada, stating in a Super Bowl pregame interview that he is serious about the prospect of making Canada the 51st US state.
"Yeah, it is," Trump told Fox News' Bret Baier, when asked whether his comments on annexing Canada were “a real thing” – remarks that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should be taken seriously.
“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,” Trump said. “Why are we paying $200 billion a year, essentially a subsidy to Canada?”
The US does not subsidize Canada, but America does run a trade deficit with its northern neighbour, primarily due to energy imports. According to official US data, the trade gap in goods between the two countries reached $72 billion in 2023, largely due to American imports of Canadian oil, natural gas, and other resources.
Trudeau acknowledged Trump’s remarks last week, telling business and labour leaders in a closed-door meeting that the former president's interest in Canada is tied to its vast natural resource wealth.
“Mr. Trump has it in mind that the easiest way to do it is absorbing our country, and it is a real thing,” Trudeau told CBC News. “They’re very aware of our resources, what we have, and they very much want to be able to benefit from those.”
While Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of annexing Canada, the notion remains deeply unpopular among Canadians and has not been pursued by US policymakers.
Trump threatens more tariffs
Trump also criticized Canada and Mexico over trade, saying neither country has done enough to address his concerns.
“No, it’s not good enough,” he said. “Something has to happen. It’s not sustainable. And I’m changing it.”
Last week, Trump agreed to delay a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico for 30 days, after both governments made moves to address U.S. concerns on border security and drug trafficking. However, in the Super Bowl interview, Trump indicated that trade restrictions were still on the table.
Read next: Trump wrong about US banks operating in Canada, says association
While traveling to New Orleans for the game, he announced plans to impose a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports—including those from Canada and Mexico—and hinted at a broader set of reciprocal tariffs coming later this week.
“Very simply, if they charge us, we charge them,” Trump said.
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