Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accused US President Donald Trump of deliberately seeking the collapse of Canada’s economy as a means to facilitate its annexation.
Trudeau made the remarks during a press conference on tariffs imposed by the US on Canadian goods.
Speaking in response to Trump’s claims about the state of American financial institutions in Canada, Trudeau dismissed the US president’s assertions, highlighting that 16 American banks currently operate in Canada, holding assets worth approximately $113 billion.
“This is an example of him (Trump) not understanding what he wants,” Trudeau stated.
The Canadian Prime Minister also rejected Trump’s justification for the tariffs, which the US president linked to the fentanyl crisis. Trudeau characterised this reasoning as “completely false, entirely unfounded, and outright untrue.”
“We must return to the fact that he (Trump) has repeatedly stated that he wants to see the total collapse of the Canadian economy because that would make it easier to annex us,” he said.
Trudeau, however, insisted that such an outcome was impossible. “That will never happen. Canada will never become the 51st state,” he declared.
Despite his firm stance, the Canadian leader acknowledged that Trump’s actions could cause significant harm to Canada’s economy.
“But he will quickly learn, as will American families, that this will hurt people on both sides of the border. Americans will lose jobs, they will pay more for food, gas, cars, and homes because we have always achieved the best outcomes when we worked together,” Trudeau concluded.
The US tariffs on Canadian goods are part of a broader trade dispute between the two countries, which has intensified following Trump’s return to office. The Canadian government has yet to announce its official response to the measures.
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