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US President-elect Donald Trump escalated his remarks about making Canada part of the US during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Tuesday.
And he reiterated that he intends to put “substantial” tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico.
Asked if he would use military force to annex Canada, he replied “no — economic force. Because Canada and the United States, that would really be something. You get rid of that artificially-drawn line and you take a look at what that looks like, and it would also be much better for national security — don’t forget, we basically protect Canada.”
Trump claimed the US is subsidizing Canada to the tune of US$200 billion a year, an apparent reference to the US trade deficit and possible other factors.
The total US trade deficit in goods and services with Canada was US$40,6 billion in 2023, according to US Census Bureau data. It’s driven by energy exports: the US buys more than four million barrels a day of Canadian crude oil during some months.
Trump’s latest provocation prompted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to respond on X: “There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States.” More than 80 percent of Canadians are opposed to the idea, according to a recent poll.
Members of Trudeau’s government had previously played off the 51st state remarks as a joke. Trump said the US doesn’t need “anything” that Canada produces. — Bloomberg
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