Quick Take
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During a call, Trump discussed Canada possibly becoming the 51st state. Carney emphasised the conversation focused on a security and economic agreement, affirming Canada’s sovereignty. Critics questioned Carney’s trustworthiness, amid upcoming elections.
A recent revelation has shed new light on a conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Liberal Leader Mark Carney, where Trump allegedly broached the topic of Canada becoming the 51st state of the United States, per a report by CBC News.
According to Carney, while Trump did indeed mention this prospect during their March 28 call, he emphasised that the conversation ultimately centered around a nation-to-nation discussion regarding a new security and economic agreement. Carney chose to focus on the outcome of the conversation rather than detailing every aspect of the call.
During the campaign stop in Port Moody, B.C., Carney said, “The president says lots of things, but the essence of the discussion and where we moved the conversation to, was exactly what I said.”
He further elaborated that Trump’s agreement to engage in negotiations with Canada after the April 28 election demonstrates the president’s willingness to deal with Canada as a sovereign nation. Carney noted that Trump referred to him as prime minister and not “governor,” the term Trump used to describe former prime minister Justin Trudeau, indicating respect for Canada’s sovereignty. Carney said, “He did, he absolutely did,” when asked if Trump respected Canada’s sovereignty during the call. He also said that Trump’s tone was “positive” and “cordial” and that “the president respected Canada’s sovereignty today both in his private and public comments.”
However, sources with knowledge of the discussion revealed that Trump did indeed bring up the idea of Canada joining the U.S., explaining the potential benefits of such a union. Carney reportedly let Trump express his views before politely disagreeing. According to these sources, Carney responded with, “We’ll agree to disagree on that one.”
Nevertheless, a spokeswoman for the Prime Minister’s Office disputed this account, stating that Carney did not make such a comment and was clear that the possibility of Canada becoming part of the U.S. is not on the table. “No, the prime minister didn’t say this to President Trump, and he was always clear on the fact that the possibility that Canada could be part of the U.S. is not on the table and never will be,” the spokeswoman said in a French statement.
The conversation between Trump and Carney has sparked a debate, particularly with the federal election looming. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticised Carney, saying he has falsely claimed he could control Trump. Poilievre emphasised that Canada’s sovereignty is non-negotiable, stating, “We will stand up for our sovereignty. We will never be an American state.”
Similarly, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet questioned Carney’s claims of being a skilled crisis manager, saying, “we have no information to the effect that Mr. Carney is living up to his claims as a great crisis manager”, while NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh expressed concerns about Carney’s trustworthiness in negotiations with Trump. Singh said, “With all this fear coming back up, people are worried about what this means for their jobs. People are worried about what this means for their families… We’re also worried about what the negotiations are going to look like and we recently learned that Mark Carney wasn’t being totally straight up with us.”
The call between Trump and Carney also touched on other matters, including the trade relationship between Canada and the U.S. According to Radio-Canada sources, Carney proposed a comprehensive review of the economic and security agreement between the two countries, which Trump accepted.
The tone of the call was generally positive, according to sources familiar with the discussions. “It’s important for Canada not to negotiate on a piecemeal basis, just in the auto sector for example,” a source familiar with the discussions said. “We think we can win more if we review everything at the same time. On the border, the Americans are talking about fentanyl, but we also have issues with weapons.”
Although Trump said the meeting with Carney was “extremely productive”, and complimented Carney and called him “very nice”, he again brought up the concept of Canada as the 51st state.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt reiterated last week that Trump’s position remains unchanged, stating that he believes Canadians would benefit greatly from joining the United States. Trump said, “I have to be honest, as a state it works great… Ninety-five per cent of what they do is they buy from us and they sell to us.”
Carney has said that he will speak with Trump after the federal election if his party wins.
