- Trump suggested Canada should vote for him to become the 51st U.S. state, sparking backlash.
- Canadian leaders quickly rejected Trump’s idea, vowing to keep Canada sovereign and independent.
- Latest polls show the Liberals pulling ahead of Conservatives as Canada’s election wraps up.
On the day Canadians were headed to the polls, President Donald Trump stirred up some serious noise online — suggesting, kinda wildly, that Canadians should vote for him so Canada could become the 51st state of the United States.
“Elect the man who’s got the strength and wisdom to cut your taxes in half, beef up your military (for free!) to the strongest in the world, and supercharge your industries — Cars, Steel, Aluminum, Lumber, Energy, you name it — with ZERO tariffs or taxes, if you become our beloved 51st state,” Trump posted Monday. It sure sounded like he was talking about himself.
He didn’t stop there either: “America can’t keep footing Canada’s bill — Hundreds of Billions a year! It’s crazy unless Canada joins us!”
Quick Reality Check: Canadians Can’t Actually Vote for Trump
Despite the chaos Trump’s post sparked, a small detail remains — Canadians literally can’t vote for him. He’s not even on the ballot.
Canada’s election had 16 political parties in the mix, but it’s mostly a two-horse race between the Liberals and the Conservatives. Other players include the Green Party, Libertarians, United Party, and the Canadian Future Party.
(Oh, and if you’re curious: Trade tensions and all this annexation talk have been a weird undercurrent this election season.)
Canadian Leaders Clap Back
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre didn’t waste any time firing back. In a sharp post on X, he said: “The only people who’ll decide Canada’s future are Canadians. We’ll always stay proud, sovereign, and independent — we will NEVER be the 51st state.”
He urged voters to stand strong and push for change that would make Canada “stand on its own two feet” and face America from a position of strength.
Meanwhile, Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney kept it short but powerful. In a video posted to X, he said simply: “This is Canada — and we decide what happens here.”
Where Things Stand: A Tight Race Shifts
It’s been a wild ride, politically speaking. Just a few months back, the Conservatives were dominating the polls with a massive 25-point lead. Now? The Liberals have pulled ahead.
Canada runs on a parliamentary system, so if the Liberals win the most seats — or manage to build a coalition — Carney stays in power.
Polls across the country were expected to close by 9:30 p.m. ET on Monday… so it won’t be long before we see how this all plays out.
