Trump’s commerce secretary proposes Canada join US as 51st state

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick suggested that the best way to merge the economies of Canada and the United States would be for Canada to become the 51st state.

"The best way, the president has said it, the best way to actually merge the economies of Canada and the United States is for Canada to become our 51st state. If they want to merge it, that’s how you make it the 51st state,” Lutnick stated, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Lutnick's comments come amid increasing tensions between the US and Canada, particularly over trade issues. On March 11, President Donald Trump announced plans to raise tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada in response to a surcharge on electricity implemented by the Ontario government. However, Ontario Premier Doug Ford later responded by halting the surcharge, following what he described as an "olive branch" extended by the US, which included a scheduled meeting between Lutnick and US officials on March 13.

Trump has previously floated the idea of Canada joining the US as the 51st state, a suggestion that was met with strong opposition from Mark Carney, who is set to become the new prime minister of Canada. Carney stated on March 9 that "Canada never, ever will be part of America in any way, shape or form."

Despite this, Lutnick defended the idea, emphasizing economic integration between the two countries. "But think about this for a second, why are American cars made in Canada? … Those jobs should be in America. And that’s what the president thinks, and that’s what he says and that’s what he’s going to execute,” he said.

Lutnick further argued that Canada would need to work closely with the U.S. to fully integrate its economy, stressing that the advantages of becoming the 51st state could be considerable. “So the key point is, Canada’s going to have to work with us to really integrate their economy. And as the president said, they should consider the amazing advantages of being the 51st state of the United States of [America],” he added.

While the proposal is likely to face significant opposition in Canada, it reflects ongoing discussions about the future of US-Canada economic relations and the broader implications of trade and tariff policies.

By Vafa Guliyeva