2024–2025 proposals for Canadian annexation to the United States
Starting in December 2024, then President-elect of the United States, Donald Trump engaged in a series of comments expressing support for Canadian annexation into the United States of America. This came after months of tariff threats on Canadian goods, and renewed demands by Trump for Canada to increase its military spending and prioritize border security. Politicians from across the Canadian political spectrum have dismissed calls for annexation, and the vast majority of Canadians polled were not in favor.
The United States and Canada were both colonies of Britain before the American Revolutionary War, in which the United States won its independence, but were not joined by the regions now owned by Canada. Since then, the United States has been a republic, while Canada stayed as a colony, and later a Dominion of the United Kingdom, and is now de facto a fully independent nation. Since the United States obtained its independence, there have been numerous calls for Canada or parts of it to be annexed to the United States made from within both countries, for reasons variously including republican ideals and economic interests, but none were successful.
Today, the United States and Canada share the , the , with a total of US$923 billion exchanged in 2023, and the world's most powerful military alliance. The United States has a population roughly 8 times that of , and an economy roughly 13 times as annually productive as
Pre-inauguration proposals
In December 2024, President-elect Trump suggested Canada consider becoming the 51st U.S. state if Prime Minister Trudeau felt his planned tariffs would hurt Canada’s economy during a tense meeting with him over trade deficits and border security at Mar-a-Lago. He later referred to Trudeau as the “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada” and said that he looked forward to meeting the "Governor" again to continue their talks on "Tariffs and Trade". During an appearance on Fox News, Ontario Premier Doug Ford jokingly stated that this was Trump's attempt at revenge for the War of 1812 by saying; "I guess he’s still upset that in 1812 we burned down The White House and he’s holding a grudge after 212 years. He’s a funny guy".
In response to Trudeau suggesting that Canada would be too liberal, Trump suggested that Canada would enter the Union as two states, one more conservative, one more liberal. (Thus, Canada would take up at least both 51st and 52nd states in this proposal.) Canada has ten provinces and 3 territories.
Again, on December 18, 2024, President-elect Trump suggested on his social media platform Truth Social that Canada should become the 51st State of the United States and suggested that the US was subsidizing Canada.
Trump again referred to Trudeau as the "Governor" of Canada in his Christmas post and said that if Canada became the 51st State, Canada's taxes would be reduced by "more than 60%", its businesses would "immediately double in size" and it would become exceptionally militarily protected. He later suggested that NHL legend Wayne Gretzky should run to become the Prime Minister of Canada which he said would soon be known as the "Governor of Canada", which Gretzky would win easily.
In January 2025, President-elect Trump and his supporters continued talking about the idea of Canada joining the United States. Trump posted an image on Truth Social with the U.S. flag emblazoned across the territories of U.S. and Canada with the caption, “Oh Canada!” He further commented, "You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like, And it would also be much better for national security. They're great, but we're spending hundreds of billions here to protect it."
Canadian reactions
Trump's comments on using economic force to annex Canada have been widely condemned by Canadian politicians. Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that there was "not a snowball's chance in hell" of Canada joining the United States. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre commented "Canada will never be the 51st state. Period. We are a great and independent country." New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh responded with "Cut the crap, Donald. No Canadian wants to join you." and later referred to the President-elect as a "bully." Statements criticizing Trump's comments on Canada joining the US have also been made by other federal and provincial leaders and politicians. An opinion poll from Leger taken after the comments found that only 13% of Canadians supported the idea of a merger with the United States compared to 82% who were opposed, contradicting the claim that there was serious interest in Canada. Another poll from Angus Reid, also taken after President-elect Trump's comments, put support even lower at 6%.
Canadian Green Party leader Elizabeth May suggested that the U.S. states of California, Oregon and Washington join Canada as provinces, offering universal health care and stricter gun laws in response to Trump suggestion that Canada join the U.S.
Canadian Author Don Tapscott outlaying several terms for the merger including that each Province and Territory would need to maintain its identity, so each Canada would need to be at least 10, or perhaps 13 states or territories. For example, Ontario would become the fifth largest state in the USA with 16 million residents. Next, Canadians must maintain their healthcare system. Canada spends 11 percent of its GDP on healthcare and Canadians live six years longer with no one uninsured, in contrast to the U.S., almost 20% is spent. Then there were additional legal rights including women's healthcare, paid parental leave for men and women, gun control, campaign finance, standardized Education funding, and a pro-refugee immigration stance are some issues that would have to be worked out.
U.S. Reactions
Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said he would back Trump's plan to bring Canada in as a state if they could expand Canada's state-run health care system to all Americans; at the time the public discussion was oriented towards Trumps comments as a humorous rhetoric during a meeting with Trudeau.
Fox News commentator Jesse Watters expressed during a broadcast the desire for a military invasion of Canada saying that it would "quench his imperialist thirst". He also stated that Canadians should consider it a "privilege" to be taken over by the United States.
Analysis
One article in Newsweek tried to analyze the economic, social, and geographic implications on the United States. They noted that Canada is slightly larger in population than California, the largest current US State by population, but has about 25 times the land area of California. However, the economy though is smaller than several US States, including California, New York, and Texas; overall the U.S. economy is ten times the size of Canada at the time. Economically, such a merger is predicted to increase trade, but result in increased competition for businesses.
The United States and Canada were both colonies of Britain before the American Revolutionary War, in which the United States won its independence, but were not joined by the regions now owned by Canada. Since then, the United States has been a republic, while Canada stayed as a colony, and later a Dominion of the United Kingdom, and is now de facto a fully independent nation. Since the United States obtained its independence, there have been numerous calls for Canada or parts of it to be annexed to the United States made from within both countries, for reasons variously including republican ideals and economic interests, but none were successful.
Today, the United States and Canada share the , the , with a total of US$923 billion exchanged in 2023, and the world's most powerful military alliance. The United States has a population roughly 8 times that of , and an economy roughly 13 times as annually productive as
Pre-inauguration proposals
In December 2024, President-elect Trump suggested Canada consider becoming the 51st U.S. state if Prime Minister Trudeau felt his planned tariffs would hurt Canada’s economy during a tense meeting with him over trade deficits and border security at Mar-a-Lago. He later referred to Trudeau as the “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada” and said that he looked forward to meeting the "Governor" again to continue their talks on "Tariffs and Trade". During an appearance on Fox News, Ontario Premier Doug Ford jokingly stated that this was Trump's attempt at revenge for the War of 1812 by saying; "I guess he’s still upset that in 1812 we burned down The White House and he’s holding a grudge after 212 years. He’s a funny guy".
In response to Trudeau suggesting that Canada would be too liberal, Trump suggested that Canada would enter the Union as two states, one more conservative, one more liberal. (Thus, Canada would take up at least both 51st and 52nd states in this proposal.) Canada has ten provinces and 3 territories.
Again, on December 18, 2024, President-elect Trump suggested on his social media platform Truth Social that Canada should become the 51st State of the United States and suggested that the US was subsidizing Canada.
Trump again referred to Trudeau as the "Governor" of Canada in his Christmas post and said that if Canada became the 51st State, Canada's taxes would be reduced by "more than 60%", its businesses would "immediately double in size" and it would become exceptionally militarily protected. He later suggested that NHL legend Wayne Gretzky should run to become the Prime Minister of Canada which he said would soon be known as the "Governor of Canada", which Gretzky would win easily.
In January 2025, President-elect Trump and his supporters continued talking about the idea of Canada joining the United States. Trump posted an image on Truth Social with the U.S. flag emblazoned across the territories of U.S. and Canada with the caption, “Oh Canada!” He further commented, "You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like, And it would also be much better for national security. They're great, but we're spending hundreds of billions here to protect it."
Canadian reactions
Trump's comments on using economic force to annex Canada have been widely condemned by Canadian politicians. Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that there was "not a snowball's chance in hell" of Canada joining the United States. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre commented "Canada will never be the 51st state. Period. We are a great and independent country." New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh responded with "Cut the crap, Donald. No Canadian wants to join you." and later referred to the President-elect as a "bully." Statements criticizing Trump's comments on Canada joining the US have also been made by other federal and provincial leaders and politicians. An opinion poll from Leger taken after the comments found that only 13% of Canadians supported the idea of a merger with the United States compared to 82% who were opposed, contradicting the claim that there was serious interest in Canada. Another poll from Angus Reid, also taken after President-elect Trump's comments, put support even lower at 6%.
Canadian Green Party leader Elizabeth May suggested that the U.S. states of California, Oregon and Washington join Canada as provinces, offering universal health care and stricter gun laws in response to Trump suggestion that Canada join the U.S.
Canadian Author Don Tapscott outlaying several terms for the merger including that each Province and Territory would need to maintain its identity, so each Canada would need to be at least 10, or perhaps 13 states or territories. For example, Ontario would become the fifth largest state in the USA with 16 million residents. Next, Canadians must maintain their healthcare system. Canada spends 11 percent of its GDP on healthcare and Canadians live six years longer with no one uninsured, in contrast to the U.S., almost 20% is spent. Then there were additional legal rights including women's healthcare, paid parental leave for men and women, gun control, campaign finance, standardized Education funding, and a pro-refugee immigration stance are some issues that would have to be worked out.
U.S. Reactions
Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said he would back Trump's plan to bring Canada in as a state if they could expand Canada's state-run health care system to all Americans; at the time the public discussion was oriented towards Trumps comments as a humorous rhetoric during a meeting with Trudeau.
Fox News commentator Jesse Watters expressed during a broadcast the desire for a military invasion of Canada saying that it would "quench his imperialist thirst". He also stated that Canadians should consider it a "privilege" to be taken over by the United States.
Analysis
One article in Newsweek tried to analyze the economic, social, and geographic implications on the United States. They noted that Canada is slightly larger in population than California, the largest current US State by population, but has about 25 times the land area of California. However, the economy though is smaller than several US States, including California, New York, and Texas; overall the U.S. economy is ten times the size of Canada at the time. Economically, such a merger is predicted to increase trade, but result in increased competition for businesses.