When Donald Trump jokes that Canada could become the 51st state, and refers to Justin Trudeau as governor rather than prime minister, it’s all an attempt to “humiliate” the Canadian leader, says a former senior Trump adviser.
John Bolton, now a critic of Trump, said this is something to be expected from the US president-elect.
“I think he’s flirting with Justin Trudeau and trying to humiliate him, and I think Trump is laughing at that.”
Regarding Trump’s jokes about Canada and the sarcasm directed at the prime minister, Bolton says: “I wouldn’t overrationalize it. I think he’s just mean.”
Although Bolton is not a Trump supporter, he knows how the incoming president thinks and strategizes: He served as Trump’s national security adviser for about 17 months during his first term. He says he resigned in 2019, after disagreements over foreign policy strategy. Trump said at the time that he had fired him.
In interviews with CBC News, Bolton and several U.S. senators also spoke about Canada’s need to play to the president-elect’s ego, and what can be done to try to avoid a trade war.
Canada is the 51st state in the United States?
Trump has recently made at least four signs Canada becomes a US stateprovoking a wide range of reactions.
According to Gerald Butts, Trudeau’s former principal secretary, this has already been happening for years: “Trump used this 51st state line all the time with Trudeau in his first term,” he wrote in a social media post.
Trump appears to have picked up where he left off, starting… His dinner with Trudeau at Mar-a-LagoIt was held after the president-elect, in an online post, threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian and Mexican goods.
US President-elect Donald Trump continues to mock Justin Trudeau. CBC’s Katie Simpson asked John Bolton, who served as national security adviser during Trump’s first term, why he thinks that.
As first reported by Fox News, Trump appeared to joke that Canada could become the 51st state if the Canadian economy is destroyed in the tariff battle.
He appeared to reference the jibe on his social media account days later, posting what appeared to be an AI-generated photo of himself standing on top of a mountain holding a Canadian flag.
He said it again During an interview with NBC NewsHe also complained about the trade deficit with both Canada and Mexico.
After describing the trade deficit as subsidies, he said: “If we want to support them, let them become a state.”
Then there was the Truth Social post, around midnight Monday, where Trump appeared He pointed again To his meeting in Florida with Trudeau.
Trump’s comments elicit some laughter on Capitol Hill.
Republican Senator Josh Hawley, who represents Missouri, laughed when he told CBC News he’s not entirely sure why Trump keeps talking about Canada becoming a country.
“I like his idea more of dividing Canada into two parts — recognizing one republic and one democracy,” he joked.
“I don’t want the 51st state if they’re just going to vote Democratic.”
Stay out of US domestic politics: Bolton
Bolton says Trudeau and the Canadian team responding to Trump’s tariff threats need to play to the president-elect’s ego.
“I think it’s important in dealing with Trump to explain why the threat would hurt Canada, but why triggering tariffs wouldn’t help Trump,” he said.
“Forget US-Canada relations, this is not Trump’s problem – what makes Donald Trump look good?”
- This Sunday, Cross Country Checkup asks: What do you think of all the Trump jokes? Should Canada be the 51st state in America? Fill This model You can appear on the show or read your commentary on air.
He also criticized Trudeau for influencing the outcome of the presidential race. In Ottawa on Tuesday evening, the prime minister told a crowd that Kamala Harris lost the US election It was a setback for women’s progress.
“If Prime Minister Trudeau doesn’t get it, I’m happy to give him some free advice: Don’t get into the heart of American politics, it won’t do you any good,” Bolton said.
Some Republican senators say the tariff threats are real
Some Republican senators warn that Trump may follow through on his tariff threat.
“Oh, I think he’s serious about this, for sure,” Senator Kevin Cramer said during a brief interview with CBC News in the lobby of Hart’s Senate office building on Capitol Hill.
Cramer, who represents the northern border state of North Dakota, urged officials in Ottawa to meet Trump’s demands.
“We just need to get compliance and we’ll be fine.”
Trump has linked the threat to widespread changes in border security, to prevent the flow of immigrants and illegal drugs into the United States. It also brought the challenges on the southern and northern borders together, despite very different circumstances.
After a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Canada’s premiers on Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Canada needs to be “ready to fight” and that Trump’s tariffs are coming “100 per cent.” International trade expert Wendy Wagner discusses how Canada’s actions could be harmful not only to Americans, but to Canadians as well.
He did not provide details to Canada or Mexico about what exactly he would like to see changed.
One Republican strategist says Canada needs to focus solely on tariff threats, and ignore what he calls Trump’s “bullshit.”
“No one expects Canada to become the 51st state,” said Matthew Bartlett, who worked at the State Department during the first Trump administration.
“Donald Trump is a consummate showman. He likes to get people’s attention. He likes to make people nervous and keep them on their toes. That’s one of his tactics.”
Bartlett predicted four years of pranks and threats.
Bolton says Trump is obsessed with tariffs, and refuses to accept that they are likely to make life more expensive for American consumers.
He said: “The tariffs are paid by the American importer, and then ultimately the bulk of the tariffs will likely be passed on to American consumers. Trump does not understand that.”
“It’s like arguing that the Earth isn’t flat. You won’t be able to convince him.”
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