Trump Criticizes Canada Over Trade Policies, Suggests It Could Become the 51st US State

Washington, DC: Former US President Donald Trump has once again criticized Canada’s trade policies, alleging that Ottawa has been unfair to Washington. During a press conference on Thursday (local time), Trump stated that Canada must “start paying up” and suggested that making it the 51st state of the US could be a solution to ongoing trade disputes.

Trump expressed his frustration over what he described as Canada’s disproportionately low military spending and its dependence on US military protection. He argued that Canada benefits from American security without adequately contributing to defense expenses.

“Canada has been very tough on trade. They rely on us for military protection while maintaining significantly lower defense costs. This situation is unfair to the US. We don’t need their products, yet they benefit significantly from our economy,” Trump said.

Trade Deficit Concerns

The former president highlighted a substantial trade deficit between the two countries, estimating that the US incurs an annual loss of approximately USD 200 billion due to trade policies favoring Canada. He proposed that if Canada were to integrate as a US state, both its tax burden and security concerns would be significantly alleviated.

“If Canada became a US state, they would experience lower taxes and enhanced security. Right now, we are essentially subsidizing them without any direct benefit. This isn’t something we should be doing for another country—only for a US state,” Trump added.

Criticism of the European Union

Trump also took aim at the European Union (EU), accusing it of being overly stringent on major US-based corporations, including Apple, Google, and Facebook. He claimed that the EU imposes excessive fees and regulations on American businesses, making it difficult for them to operate fairly within European markets.

“The European Union has been incredibly tough on US businesses. They have sued our top companies and imposed numerous fees. Even airlines have reached out to me, saying they are being unfairly charged by the EU,” Trump stated.

Previous Trade Tensions

Trump has previously criticized Canada over trade tariffs and has repeatedly suggested the idea of incorporating Canada into the United States. He has also referred to outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the “Governor of Canada,” mocking the country’s trade stance.

Earlier this month, Trump announced a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, alongside an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods. However, he later paused the tariff implementation for 30 days, citing new commitments from Canada and Mexico to enhance border security.

The ongoing trade tensions highlight the challenges in US-Canada economic relations, with Trump continuing to advocate for significant changes to the partnership between the two nations. Whether Canada would ever seriously consider US statehood remains highly unlikely, but Trump’s remarks add another layer to the ongoing debate over trade policies and national security cooperation between the two allies.

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