President Donald Trump has already unveiled a number of lofty proposals ahead of his second term in the White House. One that has captured a significant amount of media attention involves a possible effort to transform Canada into the newest U.S. state.
The provocative notion has drawn both praise and skepticism from across the political spectrum, with longtime GOP insider Marc Thiessen offering a critique of the plan during a recent Fox News Channel appearance.
According to the Daily Caller:
“Canada is a lot like America with bigger government, higher taxes and less freedom and less prosperity, so I don’t know that we necessarily want Canada as the 51st state,” Theissen said. “Because they have got a lot of problems. They’ve got a healthcare system where you have to wait two years for brain surgery. They’ve got, you know, a massive immigration problem, where they brought in a lot of people who certainly don’t love Canada and don’t love America, and are marching in the streets for Hamas. They’ve got problems.”
“I think we might take Alberta, they have got a lot of oil and they’re conservative. We might want the Northwest Territories and maybe Nunavut, maybe Newfoundland and Labrador,” Thiessen continued. “If we attach Greenland, we have the Northwest Passage and the Arctic Passage under U.S. control.”
Here’s a sampling of the response Trump’s remarks on the topic have received in recent days:
“We are going to make Canada the 51st state”
“We are going to buy Greenland”
“We are going to retake control of the Panama Canal”
“We are going to end the woke bullshit”
Me: pic.twitter.com/pdJRHHGe0L
— Deplorable 🗑️🇺🇸 (@Adam_J508) December 24, 2024
Canada becoming the 51st state is gaining traction!! Good idea? Im not sure myself, but leaning to yes! pic.twitter.com/xHWnZ9Uj0A
— AlphaFođť•Ź (@Alphafox78) December 28, 2024
Should the U.S. make Canada the 51st state?
MY TAKE: pic.twitter.com/1Iv1cM7ce7
— Breanna Morello (@BreannaMorello) December 28, 2024
“Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary has publicly supported at least exploring the idea, as The Independent reported:
Claiming that at least half of the country’s citizens “want to know more and understand what the proposal really is,” O’Leary added that there’s been talk of an economic union between the two countries for decades.
Adding that the Pentagon has been worried about Canada’s northern border and its proximity to Russia for a while, the Shark Tank co-host said that China’s recent ascendence as a superpower has created a “serious problem.” Therefore, according to O’Leary, Trump seeking to annex Canada would benefit both countries.
“I think in this kernel of an idea — yes, maybe it was a joke to start — there is something great here to be done,” he declared. “Because if you figured out a way to put these two countries together, it would be the most powerful country on earth. The most powerful military on earth, the most powerful resources and no adversary anywhere would mess with it. That’s the prize.”
Here’s a clip of that on-air exchange:
After Trump suggested Canada become the 51st state, Kevin O'Leary proposes that the US and Canada eliminate the border between them and form a united front against China and Russia—and he wants to negotiate the deal.
"I'm going to go to Mar-a-Lago. I'll start the narrative." pic.twitter.com/1OzU1OmKO0
— Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) December 27, 2024
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