Washington, October 1, 2025 – The Europe Today: U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday revived his controversial suggestion that Canada could consider joining the United States as the 51st state, returning to rhetoric he had earlier tempered following the election of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Speaking to senior military officials at an event in Virginia, Trump said the U.S. is developing the Golden Dome missile defence system and indicated that Canada could benefit from it if it became part of the United States.
“Canada called me a couple of weeks ago. They want to be part of it. To which I said, why don’t you just join our country? Become 51, become the 51st state and you get it for free,” Trump said. He added that while he is unsure whether his proposal “made a big impact,” he personally believes uniting the two countries “makes a lot of sense.”
Trump also cited Canada’s economic difficulties following U.S. tariffs, claiming his trade policies are redirecting trillions of dollars in investments back to the United States.
Previously, Trump had suggested that if Canada wished to join the missile defence initiative, it would need to contribute around $71 billion US. The plan is designed to protect against missiles, drones, and other aerial threats.
In response, Prime Minister Carney has consistently dismissed the notion of Canada becoming a U.S. state. In their first face-to-face meeting in May, Carney diplomatically rejected the idea, saying Canada “is not for sale and it won’t be for sale ever.”
Trump acknowledged the complexity of such a proposal, saying, “It takes two to tango,” while Carney reiterated a firm “Never, never, never, never, never” to any takeover.
Regarding the missile defence system, Carney noted a possible extension of NORAD, the existing bi-national air defence alliance, describing discussions with the U.S. as “live, ongoing” and contingent on what makes sense for Canada.
Trump’s latest comments follow remarks by U.S. Ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, who stated that the 51st state debate is largely a Canadian preoccupation and no longer part of official U.S. policy.
