Justin Trudeau left reeling as Donald Trump’s cutting remark adds to his humiliation at Mar-a-Lago dinner
PALM BEACH, FLORIDA: Just when you think Donald Trump has said everything he needs to say, the president-elect comes in swinging with another zinger.
This time, he made a casual suggestion to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: if Canada can’t handle its business on trade and immigration, maybe it should just become the 51st state.
The eyebrow-raising proposal reportedly happened last week during a surprise meeting at Mar-a-Lago, where Trudeau showed up unannounced. He was there to discuss Trump’s looming threat of a whopping 25% tariff on Canadian goods.
Trump’s hardline stance stemmed from his frustration over illegal immigration, the flow of illicit drugs into the US, and what he sees as Canada’s role in these issues.
Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau's 'very productive' Mar-a-Lago dinner
Justin Trudeau flew into Donald Trump’s Florida estate to hash things out over crab cocktails and oysters. But before anyone could dig into the seafood spread, the real meat of the conversation took center stage: tariffs, border security, and trade deficits. According to sources at the table, Trump was cordial yet pointed in his demands.
He started by calling out Canada’s alleged failures in border security, claiming the country allowed large amounts of drugs and illegal immigrants, some from over 70 countries, to cross into the US. Things heated up when Trump brought up the trade deficit, which he pegged at over $100 billion.
“If Canada cannot fix the border issues and trade deficit,” Trump reportedly told Trudeau, “I will levy a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods on day one when I return to office.”
A rather alarmed Trudeau pushed back, arguing that such a tariff would devastate Canada’s economy. But Trump wasn’t having it. “So your country can’t survive unless it’s ripping off the US to the tune of $100 billion?” he quipped, as quoted by Fox News.
Then came the kicker: Trump casually floated the idea that if Canada couldn’t meet his demands, it might as well join the US as the 51st state.
The room erupted in nervous laughter, but Trump kept going, suggesting Trudeau could remain a “prime minister” or perhaps take on the role of “governor of the 51st state.”
Someone at the table couldn’t resist chiming in, pointing out that Canada would be a very liberal state if it joined the union. Trump subsequently proposed splitting Canada into two states: one conservative and one liberal.
More laughter followed, but sources said Trump was dead serious about his larger message. He warned Trudeau that he expected real changes in immigration enforcement and trade by January 20. If not, the tariffs were coming.
Hardline approach to immigration
While the flow of illegal immigrants from Canada pales in comparison to what’s happening at the southern border, Trump made it clear he’s holding both neighbors accountable.
In the first 10 months of 2024, over 21,000 migrants were intercepted crossing into the US from Canada. Of those, nearly 18,000 came through the Swanton Sector—an area east of the Great Lakes covering New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire.
But October alone saw over 56,000 migrants apprehended at the southern border.
Trump’s incoming “border czar” Tom Homan hails from the Swanton Sector and is expected to give the area some much-needed attention.
Trump didn’t stop at Canada and Mexico. In a Truth Social post, he threatened an additional 10% import tax on China for failing to impose a death penalty on drug dealers—a promise he claims the Chinese government hasn’t delivered on.
Stopping the flow of fentanyl — much of it produced in China — remains a key pillar of Trump’s hardline policies. He’s made it clear that drastic measures, including tariffs, are on the table to curb the deadly drug’s impact on the US.
