Trump Rules Out Military Annexation of Canada but Renews 51st State Talk Ahead of Carney’s Washington Visit

In a provocative interview on NBC’s Meet The Press aired Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump reignited his controversial rhetoric on U.S.-Canada relations, insisting he will continue to advocate for Canada becoming America’s 51st state — but firmly ruled out the use of military force to achieve it.

“I think we’re not going to ever get to that point,” Trump said when asked about the possibility of using military intervention to annex Canada. “Something could happen with Greenland. I’ll be honest, we need that for national and international security. But I think it’s highly unlikely… I just don’t see it with Canada.”

Trump’s comments come just days before newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to meet with the former president in Washington. The bilateral trade relationship — currently strained by tariffs and contentious rhetoric — is expected to top the agenda.

Trump struck a notably softer tone when speaking about Carney. “He’s a very nice man,” Trump remarked, congratulating the prime minister on his recent electoral win. “There’s no majority or anything, so that’s going to make things a little bit difficult, I think, for him to run. But he nevertheless had a victory.”

Despite the diplomatic pleasantries, Trump used the interview to once again question Canada’s value to the U.S. economy and revive false claims about American subsidies.

“You know why I’ll always talk about [making Canada the 51st state]? We subsidize Canada to the tune of $200 billion a year,” Trump claimed.

However, data from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative tells a different story. In 2024, the U.S. trade deficit with Canada was approximately $63.3 billion — far short of Trump’s assertion, and not a government subsidy. The U.S. imported $412.7 billion in goods from Canada last year, with energy and minerals making up the bulk of imports.

Still, Trump downplayed Canada’s economic significance, stating: “We don’t need their cars, we don’t need their lumber, we don’t need their energy. We do very little business with Canada. They do all of their business practically with us.”

U.S. Census Bureau data shows Canada accounted for 12.6% of total American imports in 2024. Conversely, a staggering 75.9% of Canadian exports were bound for the U.S., underscoring the deep economic interdependence between the two nations.

Trump’s remarks also alluded to broader trade tensions under his administration. During his first term, Canada and Mexico were slapped with steel, aluminum, and auto tariffs, and more recently, Trump has linked punitive trade measures to cross-border drug trafficking — despite U.S. government data showing minimal fentanyl smuggling via Canada.

Prime Minister Carney, speaking in Ottawa ahead of the Washington visit, assured reporters that he is committed to securing a fair deal for Canadians under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), which is up for review in the coming year.

As diplomatic lines reopen, observers will be closely watching to see whether the rhetoric gives way to practical policy — or escalates into a fresh chapter of cross-border tension.