Trump says Canada will ‘end up being the 51st state’

At a campaign rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, President Donald Trump again said Canada would become the 51st U.S. state, arguing that the United States loses up to $100 billion a year supporting its northern neighbor.

President Donald Trump renewed his call for Canada to join the United States, telling a campaign rally in Bullhead City, Arizona, on Wednesday that America’s northern neighbor would eventually become the 51st state.

“They’ll end up being the 51st state because it’s the only way it works,” Trump said. “We don’t need them, but they need us. And why should we be losing $80, $90, $100 billion a year to support a country that isn’t one of us.”

The Peace Arch on the U.S.-Canada border (file photo)

Midterm campaign swing

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney (file photo)

Trump traveled to Arizona and Montana on Wednesday to campaign for Republican candidates ahead of the November midterm elections. In Bullhead City, he backed Rep. Andy Biggs, the Republican running against Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.

The remarks come amid a continuing trade war between Washington and Ottawa. Trump first floated the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state in late 2024 and has returned to it repeatedly, drawing firm rejections from Canadian leaders.