Trump jokes about Trudeau as ‘governor of Canada’ during dinner meeting
US President-elect Donald Trump recently stirred both amusement and controversy by joking that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is the “Governor” of the “Great State of Canada.” Trump made the comment on his social media platform, Truth Social, after a dinner meeting at Mar-a-Lago. He wrote, “It was a pleasure to have dinner the other night with Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada. I look forward to seeing the Governor again soon so that we may continue our in-depth talks on tariffs and trade, the results of which will be truly spectacular for all!”
The remark quickly went viral, causing a mix of laughter and confusion as people speculated whether Trump’s words were a pointed jab. The comment may have stemmed from previous discussions where Trump suggested that Canada could consider joining the US as the 51st state if his proposed 25% tariffs severely impacted the Canadian economy.
Trump reportedly warned that this could happen unless Ottawa took stronger measures to tackle illegal migration and drug trafficking. During the dinner, Trump allegedly joked, “Maybe Canada should become the 51st state of the US, and Trudeau could become its Governor,” causing nervous laughter from the Canadian leader.
The dinner also provided Trump with an opportunity to reiterate his stance on US-Canada relations ahead of his inauguration. Trump has previously argued that the US subsidizes Canada and Mexico to an excessive degree, saying, “We subsidize Canada to the tune of over $100 billion a year.” He even suggested that if the US is subsidizing these countries, they should become US states.
Trudeau, however, pushed back against the threat of tariffs, warning that they could damage Canada’s economy. He emphasized that any tariffs would be met with countermeasures and pointed out that such actions would ultimately harm American consumers, making products more expensive.
The dinner at Mar-a-Lago set the stage for potentially tense negotiations between the two nations once Trump assumes office.
