Summary

Donald Trump reiterated his claim that Canada would be better as the U.S.’s 51st state, citing trade imbalances and lower taxes.

He also announced new 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, including from Canada, despite a recent 30-day reprieve.

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau has not formally responded, but a government source said they await official confirmation.

Trump criticized Canada’s defense spending and border security, despite recent Canadian commitments.

Canada previously retaliated against similar tariffs in 2018 before a 2019 trade deal resolved the dispute.

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[+] 222 points 2 years ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (42 children)
  • [–] 108 points 2 years ago (5 children)

    What a deservedly scathing review of the US of A.

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  • [+] 69 points 2 years ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (4 children)
  • [–] 40 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    As George Carlin said, selfish ignorant people elect selfish ignorant leaders.

    Personally, talking to anyone about politics here is unnerving. Most people are in this fog where current events are only an ephemeral storyline that they tune into periodically like it's a TV drama. Never a big deal, never anything that could affect them or those they care for. It's a position of privilege, frankly. Maybe some of them are just that dumb. I think a lot of people, though, are scared, either of their ignorance or their powerlessness, so they simply avoid being involved or educated out of discomfort. That's probably the nicest interpretation I have for my countrymen's behavior.

    Otherwise you are spot on. The uniquely tasteless brand of brash American chauvinism that we were globally lampooned for during the Invasion of Iraq has metastasized. We are long overdue for being knocked down a peg. I wish I could say the fallout from this painful reckoning would stay within our borders, but it most likely won't. We have a very uncertain year ahead of us, let alone the next five years.

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  • [–] 32 points 2 years ago* (8 children)

    Canadian here, can confirm. This is pretty much how just about everyone I talk to feels about the situation. And I work in the trades in Alberta. Even my dumbest trump friends don’t want to be American. There will be boots to the fucking ground if our government tries to allow America to annex us.

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  • [–] 22 points 2 years ago (11 children)

    About half of America would join Canada in fighting this tyranny. I think it would be a grave mistake for Trump’s presidency to follow through on these threats.

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    [–] 86 points 2 years ago (6 children)

    Cherished my ass. You've done nothing but disrespect them since you were elected. The only thing you want is their resources so you can hoard a few 100 mil before you kick the bucket in a few years. Which I find completely ridiculous because it's not like you get to take money into the afterlife, if there even is one.

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    [–] 77 points 2 years ago* (3 children)

    An invasion of Canada would result in so many Americans defecting and fighting for Canada or not cooperating and probably a Civil War when the west coast states (and possibly New England) secede. I imagine the military leadership would sooner stage a coup than cooperate and invade/occupy Canada. Plus, the entire world would side with Canada.

    It’s the ramblings of a senile buffoon. There’s absolutely no one else calling for this (or invading Greenland/Panama) and no support from 80% of Americans — and close to 100% with people of fighting age. Even most MAGA idiots are isolationists.

    And don’t forget, basically every major U.S. city is extremely blue. When you look at a red state/blue state map, remember that it’s actually an urban/rural divide. Port cities are especially blue. (Look at Louisiana for an example. A deep red state but Orleans Parish went 82% for Harris/Walz. Good luck winning any war with 90% of the port cities in full revolt.)

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    [–] 64 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    The 51st state? Hard pass. Canada’s healthcare system alone would collapse under the weight of your insulin price gouging. Cherished state? More like a hostile takeover by a country that thinks avocado toast is a personality trait.

    Those 25% tariffs? Cute. We survived your 2018 tantrum—maple syrup exports outlived your presidency. Funny how “trade imbalances” vanish when your golf resorts rely on Canadian lumber.

    Defense spending critiques from a guy who tried to lease Alaska back to Russia? Bold move. Our border’s secure enough to keep your conspiracy theorists from storming Parliament Hill.

    Stay mad about the poutine tariffs, though.

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  • [–] 17 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    One thing I despise about the US (gun violence and healthcare inequitability aside) is how it measures the value of everything in money.

    It's culture is a commodification machine. Nothing can just be beautiful for the sake of being beautiful, it has to be made into a side hustle somehow.

    Most Americans are married to their jobs and have little work life balance relative to Canadians and Europeans.

    There is a remarkable amount of mental gymnastics done by people trying to gaslight themselves into thinking this is what they want, even though most would be happier and healthier with more time off.

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    [–] 63 points 2 years ago* (3 children)

    Hey, uh, if he wants another state…

    What about Puerto Rico?

    I'd love to hear the excuse against that vs. Greenland and Canada.

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    [–] 62 points 2 years ago (13 children)

    I think he seriously under-estimates how many Americans will side with Canada, with force.

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    [–] 60 points 2 years ago

    He doesn’t treat his own states any good why would Canada fare any better

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  • [–] 57 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    I'm so tired of this shit.

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  • [–] 44 points 2 years ago (5 children)

    I'm amazed at how quickly the US has come close to being on the brink of becoming a rogue state.

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    [–] 35 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    Anyone making “thanks trump” stickers for when our gas prices go through the roof and stick it at gas stations like they did with Biden

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    [–] 35 points 2 years ago (26 children)

    This is going to be the weirdest part of any history book. People reading and trying to understand why the US suddenly turned on and invaded their close ally of Canada in a failed annexation attempt immediately after watching Russia struggle a similar (though less surprising) annexation of Ukraine, which the US helped fight against.

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    [–] 35 points 2 years ago (6 children)

    He's currently trying to get a 51st state (Canada would need to be at least 6 or more, in all honesty), but it looks like he's at risk of losing some states from where I'm sitting.

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  • [–] 36 points 2 years ago (5 children)

    The only way Canada would join the union would be as an occupied territory, and we would do everything possible to fuck shit up from within.

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  • [–] 34 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Why would Canada join the US, only to be rewarded with a shitty health care system and a low national minimum wage?

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    [–] 31 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    What's in it for Canada? Expensive ineffective healthcare? Why would they go for this?

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  • [–] 22 points 2 years ago

    Reduced quality of life? Greater danger of being shot in a school? Shorter life expectancy? Lower quality food? And imperial president instead of a democratic one?

    I'm not seeing the upsides for Canada.

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    [–] 29 points 2 years ago* (2 children)

    So, is the US going to nationalize its health care to match Canada's?

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    [–] 27 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    This plan leaves out the fact that the majority of Canadians don't want to join. They may have their challenges right now, but there are some things they aren't willing to give up, like nationalized health care and national identity. I suspect many Canadians will fight to the death over this, the same way Americans would fight if forced to join Canada. They are our neighbors and that's about as close as people want to get.

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    [–] 26 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    This man shits worthless click bait out of his mouth daily, why does media fall for it?

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    [–] 25 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    does he have a deal with putin?

    "lemme have canada and greenland, and the canal, and i'll let you take eastern europe back--starting with ukraine and nato will not be in your way"

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    [–] 25 points 2 years ago

    I unapologetically woke up this morning hoping to read that someone took a successful shot at him during the Superbowl.

    Put me on whatever list you wish.

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  • [–] 23 points 2 years ago
    [–] 20 points 2 years ago

    Canada wouldn't be allowed to vote, presuming elections still existed. It's just expansionism at the end of the Republic.

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  • [–] 19 points 2 years ago*

    This crazy old poopy pants manchild is serious in that he wants to blackmail people into giving him something for nothing. Thankfully, he's so fucking stupid, and has created a cesspool of asskissers around him who are incentivized to suck up rather than actually DO anything.

    He talks, says a lot of crazy shit, then backs down, having done damage and not actually gotten anything. Like being in a shortbus with a hormonal chimp with a chainsaw. We're all just going to have to wait until his inevitable toilet stroke, and then watch the whole thing collapse.

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  • [–] 17 points 2 years ago*

    Stop giving this foolishness air.

    Make preparations on the side. But Stop giving it public attention.

    also understand that Canada would never be a state. It would be a generation or two of Forceful and violent assimilation before any region was given "statehood". For everyone else, it's poverty, military occupation, and slavery. Which would mean Insurgency and War.

    Any Canadian advocating for this is either terminally online and uneducated, living life off article title opinions. Or they are functionally a traitor/quisling/5th columnist and a threat to their neighbors, and should kept an eye of. And if things really did go "there". they'd be the ones taken out first by resistance.

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  • [–] 17 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (6 children)

    How would a whole country be a single state? Wouldn't it become 13 states (or however many provinces/territories Canada has)?

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    [–] 17 points 2 years ago

    If I have to fight for my country and defend it, then I'll happily do so.

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