The president-elect also said Monday that many Canadians “would love” for Canada to become the 51st American state.
“The United States cannot endure the huge trade deficits and subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat,” Mr. Trump wrote on his “Truth Social” platform after the prime minister’s announcement.
“Justin Trudeau knew it and he resigned,” wrote Mr. Trump, who will take office at the White House in two weeks.
Mr. Trudeau announced Monday morning that he would resign as Liberal leader and prime minister as soon as a new leader is chosen. In the meantime, he asked the Governor General to prorogue Parliament until March 24.
Mr. Trump resumed his new rhetoric on a possible annexation of Canada to the United States, pleading that there would be no tariffs and that taxes would be lower in Canada. He also believes that Canadians “would be completely safe from the threats of Russian and Chinese ships which constantly surround them.”
“Together, what a great nation it would be!!!”, he concluded.
This reaction from Mr. Trump comes on the heels of his recurring efforts to provoke Mr. Trudeau and Canadians since his victory in last November’s election.
The president-elect has already called Mr. Trudeau the “governor” of Canada and has been repeating this “51st state” rhetoric periodically since the prime minister came to meet him at his Mar-a-Lago, Florida, estate in November last.
“Trump will take credit for everything and turn everything into an opportunity to make himself look better,” said Laura Dawson, an expert on relations between Canada and the United States and director of the “Future Borders Coalition”, an organization bilateral.
But experts admit the change in leadership in Ottawa could not come at a worse time for bilateral relations with the United States.
Mr. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on the United States’ two neighbors when he takes office on January 20 unless Canada and Mexico stem the “flow of migrants and drugs” to the UNITED STATES.
“We have a gun to our head with Donald Trump’s threats to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico,” said Fen Osler Hampson, professor of international affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa. and co-chair of the Expert Panel on Canada-US Relations.
“The key question is obviously: who speaks on behalf of Canada?”
