Trump Renews Talk of Canadian Annexation, Dismisses Military Force but Signals Geopolitical Interest

Hadisur Rahman, Jadetimes Staff

H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering the USA

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Image Source: Francesca Chambers

In a provocative interview aired on NBC’s Meet the Press on May 4, former President Donald Trump reignited speculation about U.S. intentions toward Canada, suggesting he remains interested in annexing the country as the 51st state though he emphasized that military force is not currently on the table.

"I think we’re not going to ever get to that point," Trump told host Kristen Welker when asked whether he would rule out using force. "I don’t see it with Canada. I just don’t see it, I have to be honest with you," he said with a laugh.

Trump differentiated Canada from Greenland a Danish territory he has previously proposed the U.S. acquire by noting that the latter might present a strategic necessity. “Something could happen with Greenland. I’ll be honest, we need that for national and international security,” he said.

The remarks come amid ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada. In late 2024, Trump imposed 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, citing concerns over fentanyl trafficking. The move spurred widespread boycotts of American products in Canada and became a major issue in Canada’s recent federal election.

Following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation in January amid political pressure and sagging approval ratings, his successor, Liberal leader Mark Carney, won a closely contested April 28 election. In his victory speech, Carney forcefully rejected Trump’s rhetoric, stating, “The U.S. will never own this nation. These are not idle threats President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us. That will never ever happen."

Despite the tension, Carney is expected to meet Trump at the White House on May 6. Trump described Carney as a “nice man” and noted that he had congratulated him on his win. “There’s no majority or anything, so that’s going to make things a little bit difficult, I think, for him to run,” Trump said.

Trump indicated he plans to bring up the topic of annexation during their meeting. “I’m a real estate guy at heart,” he told NBC. “When I look down at that [map] without that artificial line that was drawn with a ruler many years ago... what a beautiful country it would be. It would be great.”

The former president downplayed Canada’s economic significance, asserting, “We don’t need anything. We do very little business with Canada. They need us. We don’t need them.”

However, trade data from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative paints a different picture. Canada was the United States’ second-largest trading partner in 2024, with $349.4 billion in U.S. exports and $412.7 billion in imports.

Trump has often criticized Canada’s military spending, noting it falls short of NATO’s target of 2% of GDP, further widening what he sees as an imbalance in the U.S.-Canada relationship.

While Trump’s comments may play well with certain domestic constituencies, they have triggered strong reactions north of the border and raised new questions about the future of U.S.-Canada relations under his influence.