Trump concedes Canadian annexation unlikely, book reveals
Donald Trump privately acknowledged Canada won't become a US state, per British journalist Robert Hardman's upcoming book, citing 200 years of Canadian history and royal ties.
US President Donald Trump allegedly conceded in private that Canada is unlikely to become part of the United States, despite previously hinting at annexing the neighboring country. This insight comes from a snippet of an upcoming book by British journalist Robert Hardman, titled 'Elizabeth II. In Private. In Public. The Inside Story', set for release later this week.
Over the past year, Trump has on multiple occasions floated the idea of absorbing Canada as the 51st state, describing its border with the US as 'artificial'. In response, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has consistently stressed that Canada 'will never, ever, in any way, shape, or form, be part of the United States'.
In an interview with Hardman, the journalist told Trump that a hypothetical annexation of Canada would upset British King Charles III, who is also Canada's head of state. This allegedly gave the US president pause, leading him to acknowledge that 'Canadians have got 200 years of history and all that 'Oh, Canada' thing.' Trump concluded, 'You can't deal with that in three-and-a-half years. I guess it's not going to happen.'
Hardman wrote in his book that this was the closest he had heard to an acknowledgement that, as long as Canada had the King, Trump was not going to usurp him. While Trump has publicly expressed respect for the British royal family, he did complain about 'terrible' Canadian politicians who are 'nice to my face and then they say bad things behind my back.' Previously, Trump claimed the US was subsidizing Canada's economy by $200 billion a year, musing it would be more feasible to absorb the country as the 'cherished' 51st state.