America

Trump jokes with Trudeau that Canada should become the 51st US state.

Pennsylvania Senator-elect Dave McCormick posted a photo dining at the table with President-elect Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago on Friday night. Full table from Trump's right: Trump's chosen national security adviser, Mike Waltz, and his wife, Julia Neishwat; Trump's pick of the Interior Secretary, Doug Burgum, and his wife Kathryn; Dave McCormick and Dina Powell; Trudeau's chief of staff, Katie Telford; Trudeau's public safety minister, Dominic LeBlanc; Allison Lutnick and Howard Lutnick, Trump's pick for Commerce Secretary. Credit: from Senator Dave McCormick/X.

() –– US President-elect Donald Trump joked with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that his country should become the 51st state. The comment came during a discussion about tariffs at a dinner at the Mar-club. a-Lago from Trump last Friday, two sources briefed on the conversation told .

Trudeau’s impromptu trip to Florida came just days after Trump promised massive tariff hikes on goods from Mexico and Canada starting on his first day in office, and specifically requesting a 25% tariff on all goods. products shipped to the US, a version of which Trump mentioned at dinner. After what was described as a polite response to the matter from Trudeau about how such tariffs would hurt the Canadian economy, Trump joked that if that were the case, perhaps Canada should join the United States as the 51st state, sources said. A source emphasized that the comment was intended as a joke and that the other dinner guests took it as such.

The mention of becoming a 51st state was first reported by Fox News Digital.

Among those present at the dinner were North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, who was asked by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as Secretary of the Interior, and his wife Kathryn; Trump’s choice to serve as National Security Advisor, Florida Representative Mike Waltz; Commerce Secretary pick Howard Lutnick, incoming Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick and his wife, and former Deputy National Security Advisor Dina Powell.

Trudeau’s chief of staff, Katie Telford, and Canada’s Public Safety Minister, Dominic LeBlanc, were also present.

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