The message President-elect Donald Trump gave to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was pretty clear — if you can’t beat us, join us.
The two met late last week at Mar-a-Largo where, at one point, the discussion turned to a sweeping tariff Trump is expected to impose on the U.S.’s neighbors to the north once he is back in the Oval Office.
This led Trump to suggest Canada become the 51st state if it could not survive said tariff — 25% penalty on Canada and Mexico for not curbing the influx of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs from those countries into the U.S., sources told Fox News.
Trudeau flew to Mar-a-Lago Friday in an impromptu meeting to discuss the issue. Trump said the meeting was “very productive.”
According to two people at the table during dinner, Trump told Trudeau how Canada has failed the U.S. by permitting large amounts of drugs and people across the border.
This includes illegal immigrants from more than 70 countries.
Trump added the U.S. trade deficit with Canada is estimated to be more than $100 billion, per sources at the event.
Trump told Trudeau that if the border issues and trade deficit are not fixed by the time he is sworn in on Jan. 20, he will levy a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods.
In response, Trudeau said d such a tariff would kill the Canadian economy to which Trump asked if Canada could not survive unless it’s ripping off the U.S.
That’s when Trump proposed Canada become a U.S. state and Trudeau its governor — a statement which made Trudeau and others laugh nervously, sources told Fox News.
Trump also suggested Canada could become two states, one liberal and the other conservative.
While the conversation was glib, Trump’s message was delivered, Fox News reported.
