Is President-elect Donald Trump receptive to the notion of a 51st state? A recent jest regarding the inclusion of Canada as a state in the Union suggests that he might be.
The jest
During a social gathering at Trump’s residence, Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau pointed out that the tariffs Trump plans could harm Canada’s economy significantly. The United States is Canada’s primary trading partner, with 75% of exports going to the U.S.
Trump replied that Canada’s remedy might be to join as the 51st state. He went on to propose that Trudeau could serve as the state’s governor, and suggested that Canada could enter the U.S. as two separate states — one Republican and one Democratic.
Trump later took to social media to share a graphic depicting himself alongside a Canadian flag in what seems to be Switzerland, with a striking mountain in the background resembling the iconic Matterhorn peak found in the Swiss Alps.
Past jests
In 2019, there were humorous remarks about Donald Trump contemplating the annexation of Alberta, a province in Canada. Trump also floated the idea of swapping Puerto Rico for Greenland, which may have also been intended as a joke, although some of his closest advisors insisted it was a serious proposition.
The Puerto Rico-Greenland Trade and the Fate of US Territories
Serious considerations?
Even if Trump does not intend to pursue Canada or Greenland, his series of jokes implies that he could still be open to the concept of expansionism, which involves enlarging the United States by adding new states.
Trump had also issued an official statement asserting that “There are 3.7 million American citizens living in Puerto Rico. As citizens, they should be entitled to determine for themselves their political status.” The statement went on to say that “the will of the Puerto Rican people in any status referendum should be taken into account as Congress considers any desired change in status for Puerto Rico, including statehood.”
Tangible implications
Numerous past U.S. presidents, including Biden, Ford, and Reagan, have supported statehood for Puerto Rico. Regardless of the seriousness behind Trump’s recent remarks, it is Congress—rather than the president—that holds the authority to initiate the admission of new states through legislation. A simple majority vote would be necessary. The law would require Trump’s signature to be enacted unless Congress could muster sufficient votes to override a veto.
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