 "Trump's bizarre offer to Trudeau at meet on tariffs: Here's what happened")
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hastily arranged a meeting with Donald Trump last week after the US President-elect warned of imposing tariffs on Ottawa. While both leaders described the meeting as “very productive,” Trump reportedly made a bizarre suggestion to Trudeau to avoid high tariffs.
According to a Fox News report, Trump purportedly suggested that if high tariffs threatened to derail Canada’s economy, it should consider becoming the 51st state.
On 25 November, Trump, who is set to assume office on 20 January next year, announced heavy tariffs on Canada and Mexico, citing failures to curb the flow of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs. According to Globe and Mail, Trudeau called Trump within two hours of the post to press Canada’s case and secure a meeting with him.
The meeting was finalised for 29 December at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, dubbed the “winter White House” during his previous presidency.
What happened at the Trump-Trudeau meeting?
According to Globe and Mail, the Canadian delegation led by Trudeau was welcomed at Mar-a-Lago’s “Library Bar,” located near the outdoor dining terrace. Trudeau spent the evening in the same room with Trump and his guests, including his cabinet picks.
The mood of the meeting was described as “joyous,” with Trump even acting as DJ for his guests. However, Fox News reported that while Trump was cordial and welcoming, he was direct in discussing his concerns with Trudeau.
Trump raised the border issue, accusing Canada of failing to control the inflow of drugs and illegal immigrants, including people from over 70 different countries. He also addressed the US-Canada trade deficit, which he estimated to exceed $100 billion.
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Trudeau reportedly expressed concerns that a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods would crash Canada’s economy. To this, Trump suggested that Canada become the 51st state, with Trudeau as its governor—a comment that reportedly elicited nervous laughter from the Canadian delegation.
The nearly three-hour meeting covered various topics. At its conclusion, Canadian officials called the dinner “very friendly and very positive.” In a post on X, Trudeau shared a photo of himself and Trump smiling for the camera.
“Thanks for dinner last night, President Trump. I look forward to the work we can do together, again,” Trudeau tweeted.
Trump’s statement on Truth Social was more detailed:
“I just had a very productive meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, where we discussed many important topics that will require both countries to work together to address, like the fentanyl and drug crisis that has decimated so many lives as a result of illegal immigration, fair trade deals that do not jeopardise American workers, and the massive trade deficit the US has with Canada.”
Trump and Trudeau’s strained ties
While the US and Canada have long been natural allies, ties became strained during Trump’s previous presidency. Trudeau has openly expressed concerns about Trump securing a second term, stating it would make life difficult for Ottawa.
In 2018, Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian steel and 10 per cent on aluminium. Canada retaliated with tariffs on several US products. During a call to discuss the issue, Trump reportedly quipped, “Didn’t you guys burn down the White House?”—a reference to the War of 1812, inaccurately attributed to Canada instead of British forces.
Tensions further escalated during the 2018 G7 Summit in Quebec. Trudeau criticised Trump’s tariffs as “insulting,” prompting Trump to label Trudeau “very dishonest and weak” and withdraw the US from the G7’s joint communique.
As recently as three months ago, Trump’s photobook included a rumour suggesting Justin Trudeau is the son of late Cuban leader Fidel Castro, angering Canadian officials.
What Trump gains from tariffs
Experts believe Trump’s tariff threats are part of a broader strategy to secure more favourable trade deals for the US.
Scott Bessent, Trump’s pick for Treasury Secretary, described the approach as “escalate to de-escalate,” aiming to pressure trade partners into better deals.
“At the end of the day, he (Trump) is a free trader,” Bessent said in an interview with The Financial Times.
While Trudeau returned to Canada without assurances on tariffs, his government has promised stricter border monitoring to address Trump’s concerns. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who attended the Mar-a-Lago dinner, told CBC News that they had prepared a list of additional measures for quick implementation.