In a press briefing held on Tuesday (local time), White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that US President Donald Trump has not altered his long-held stance on Canada. Trump continues to believe that Canada would benefit from becoming the 51st state of the United States—a controversial viewpoint he has expressed on multiple occasions in the past.
When asked whether Trump’s rhetoric on US-Canada ties has softened in recent weeks, Leavitt responded:
“I would reject that the president’s position on Canada has shifted. Perhaps he just hasn’t been asked about Canada recently… The president still maintains his position. The United States has been subsidising Canada’s national defence, and he believes that Canadians would benefit greatly from becoming the 51st state of the United States of America.”
Trump has frequently referred to former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the “Governor of Canada”, using the phrase to mock the idea of Canadian independence amid what he sees as an imbalanced relationship.
Trade & Tariff Flexibility for Automakers
During the same briefing, Leavitt also addressed questions about automotive industry relief amid ongoing trade tensions. Trump had earlier hinted at offering tariff exemptions for carmakers impacted by reciprocal trade policies.
“As for autos and auto parts, I don’t have anything to read out for you there,” Leavitt said, “but the point the president was making is flexibility… his goal in his fair trade deals is to put the American worker first.”
The remarks come after Trump met with auto executives and workers at the White House on Liberation Day, where the conversation focused on bringing manufacturing jobs back to the US.
Trump on Trade Talks: “Flexible, But Determined”
On Monday, during a meeting with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, Trump stressed that some carmakers needed more time to transition production from countries like Canada and Mexico back to the US.
“They’re going to make them here, but they need a little bit of time,” Trump said. “So I’m talking about things like that.”
Trump emphasized his flexible negotiation style, stating:
“Look, I’m a very flexible person. I don’t change my mind, but I’m flexible… sometimes you have to go around the wall, under it, or above it.”
Sharp Moves on Tariffs Against China
On April 9, Trump made headlines with the announcement of an immediate tariff increase on China to 125%, following China’s retaliatory hike on US goods to 84%. In parallel, Trump offered a 90-day pause and reduced tariffs to 75 countries currently engaged in trade talks with the US.