Latest news with #TrumpAnnexation
Daily Mail
28-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Donald Trump doubles down on calls for Canada to be made 51st US state in apparent rebuke after King Charles' declaration that country will remain 'strong and free'
Donald Trump doubled down on his position that Canada could become the '51st State' after King Charles ' show of support for independence on Tuesday. King Charles, the head of state in Canada, was invited to Canada by new prime minister Mark Carney, prompted by Trump's repeated threats of annexation. He avoided mentioning Trump directly in his speech on Tuesday, but noted Canada's 'anxieties' about a 'changing world' and reaffirmed Canada's sovereignty, saying the 'True North is indeed strong and free'. But Trump seemed to respond to the visit later on Tuesday, writing that if Canada becomes the 'cherished 51st State' it won't have to pay to join his future Golden Dome missile programme. 'It will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State. They are considering the offer!,' Trump posted on social media. The comments appears to run contrary to claims from the U.S. ambassador to Canada, who told CBC's The House last week, before the king's speech, that the annexation saga was 'over'. Pete Hoekstra said he understood the message that was being sent with the rare royal address, adding that there were 'easier ways to send messages' to the U.S. government. He said that Canada should 'move on' from the annexation saga, as the Trump administration has 'too much on our plate to move forward'. 'If the Canadians want to keep talking about it - that's their business. I'm not talking about it; Donald Trump is not talking about it,' he said at the time. Trump supporters rallied around the president after his comments on social media. Dean Skoreyko wrote on X: 'Trump owned King Carney and King Charles today. They didn't see it coming. 51th state. [sic]' Columnist Benny Johnson shared the post, noting Trump's claims that Canada was 'considering the offer'. 'Art of the deal,' he wrote. Trump asserted that Canada was 'considering' the offer to join the U.S. days after he announced the new missile defence system, which he estimates will cost $175bn over three years. The shield, he hopes, will be capable of shooting down missiles fired from across the planet, covering the entire United States. Security experts told the WSJ the task ahead is more complex, and the technologies required are still nascent. Nonetheless, Trump insists that the coverage could extend to Canada for a fee - or for free if they join. Since taking office, Trump has repeatedly made threats to bring Canada into the United States. Trump's National Security Advisor (NSA) Mike Waltz said in February it was unlikely that the U.S. military would invade Canada and annex the country. The suggestion prompted Prime Minister Mark Carney to invite Charles to give a speech from the throne outlining the Liberal government's priorities for the new session of Parliament. The 76-year-old monarch, who is also Canada's head of state as part of the Commonwealth, has never publicly commented on the ambitions of the US president, a noted admirer of the royal family Charles said on Tuesday that Canada is facing unprecedented challenges in a world that's never been more dangerous as he opened the Parliament with a speech widely viewed as a show of support in the face of the annexation threats. 'We must face reality: since the Second World War, our world has never been more dangerous and unstable. Canada is facing challenges that, in our lifetimes, are unprecedented,' Charles said in French, one of Canada's official languages. He added that 'many Canadians are feeling anxious and worried about the drastically changing world around them.' It's rare for the monarch to deliver the speech from the throne in Canada. Charles´ mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, did it twice. The king noted that it had been nearly 70 years since his mother first opened Parliament. The visit to Canada was Charles' first as king and his 20th overall. 'Canada has dramatically changed: repatriating its constitution, achieving full independence and witnessing immense growth. Canada has embraced its British, French and Indigenous roots and become a bold, ambitious, innovative country that is bilingual, truly multicultural,' the monarch said. The king said that among the priorities for the government is protection of the French language and Quebec culture, which are at the heart of Canadian identity. He said when his mother opened a new session of Canadian Parliament in 1957, World War II remained a fresh, painful memory and the Cold War was intensifying. 'Freedom and democracy were under threat,' he said. 'Today, Canada faces another critical moment.' The speech isn't written by the king or his U.K. advisers, as Charles serves as a nonpartisan head of state. He read what was put before him by Canada´s government, but can make some remarks of his own. Canadians are largely indifferent to the monarchy, but Carney has been eager to show the differences between Canada and the United States. After the United States gained independence from Britain, Canada remained a colony until 1867, and afterward continued as a constitutional monarchy with a British-style parliamentary system. The king´s visit clearly underscores Canada´s sovereignty, Carney said. Carney won the job of prime minister by promising to confront the increased aggression shown by Trump and made his first official trip to London and Paris, the capital cities of Canada's two founding nations. Carney is eager to diversify trade, and the king said Canada can build new alliances. More than 75% of Canada's exports go to the U.S., and Trump has threatened sweeping tariffs on Canadian products. The king said Canada must protect Quebec's dairy supply management industry, which Trump has attacked in trade talks. And he said the Canadian government will protect the country's sovereignty by reinvesting in the Canadian Armed Forces. Trump has asserted that Canada doesn't spend enough on its military. The king also said Canada would look to the European Union to purchase military equipment by joining the 'REARM Europe' plan - a major defense procurement project to ramp up arms production in Europe. The speech made no mention of buying from the U.S. Charles is also the king of the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica and others - 14 realms in total. He exercises no political power in any of them.
Fox News
28-05-2025
- Business
- Fox News
Trump claims Canada 'considering' offer of free Golden Dome in exchange for becoming 51st state
U.S. President Donald Trump purported on Tuesday that Canada was "considering" giving up its statehood in exchange for protection by the proposed "Golden Dome" missile defense system at no cost, despite Canadian officials repeatedly stating that the country is not for sale. "I told Canada, which very much wants to be part of our fabulous Golden Dome System, that it will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "They are considering the offer!" he claimed. Trump has threatened in recent months to annex Canada, an idea fiercely rebuked by Canadian officials and their citizens. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, who secured an election win last month in part due to Canadians' opposition to Trump's wish to make the country part of the U.S., told Trump earlier this month that his country "won't be for sale, ever." King Charles III, who is recognized as Canada's sovereign, gave a speech before the Canadian Parliament on Tuesday in which he appeared to reject Trump's idea of purchasing the North American country and making it the 51st U.S. state. "Canadians can give themselves far more than any foreign power on any continent can ever take away," he said. "And that, by staying true to Canadian values, Canada can build new alliances and a new economy that serves all Canadians." As for the "Golden Dome," Trump announced last week that the U.S. had officially selected the architecture for the missile defense system that would create a network of satellites to detect, track and potentially intercept incoming ballistic missiles. The U.S. president said the project would cost $175 billion to build and that it was expected to be "fully operational" within three years. He also said Canada would be included in its safety net. "Canada has called us, and they want to be a part of it. So we'll be talking to them; they want to have protection also," Trump said at the time. Carney's office said last week that there were "active discussions" between the U.S. and Canada on current and new security programs, including the "Golden Dome." "Canadians gave the prime minister a strong mandate to negotiate a comprehensive new security and economic relationship with the United States," a spokesperson for Carney told BBC News. "To that end, the prime minister and his ministers are having wide-ranging and constructive discussions with their American counterparts. These discussions naturally include strengthening [North American Aerospace Defense Command] and related initiatives such as the Golden Dome," the spokesperson continued.
Al Jazeera
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
King Charles III arrives in Canada amid tension with Trump
King Charles III, the British monarch, has arrived in Canada for a two-day visit that officials say aims to assert support for the country's sovereignty amid Donald Trump's calls for annexing the United States' northern neighbour. The monarch's trip, which started on Monday, comes at the invite of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who won general elections last month amid Trump's threats. Charles is the ceremonial head of state in Canada, which remained a commonwealth realm after gaining independence from Great Britain in 1867. The king is set to open parliament in Ottawa on Tuesday with a 'Speech from the Throne' speech – the first such address to be delivered by a British monarch in Canada since 1977. While the British monarch has refrained from interfering in politics in recent decades, remaining a symbolic figure, Charles is expected to deliver a message of support for Canada against Trump's statements. 'The prime minister has made it clear that Canada is not for sale now, is not for sale ever,' Canada's envoy to the UK, Ralph Goodale, told reporters last week. 'The king, as head of state, will reinforce the power and the strength of that message.' Canadian officials have forcefully rejected Trump's comments about making their country the 51st US state, as a trade row between the two countries continues. During a visit to the White House earlier this month, Carney told Trump that Canada is 'not for sale'. Charles' trip, which he will make with his wife Queen Camilla, will be his first visit to the former British colony since becoming king in September 2022. Governor General Mary Simon, the monarch's ceremonial representative in Canada, said the royal couple's visit holds 'profound significance'. 'It reaffirms the enduring constitutional bond that has shaped Canada's journey into a proud and independent nation,' Simon, who is the first indigenous person to hold the position, said in a statement. On Monday, the royal couple will visit a large park in Ottawa and meet vendors and artists, according to Buckingham Palace. The king will then participate in a ceremonial puck drop to launch a street hockey demonstration before planting a tree in another part of the city.
South China Morning Post
25-05-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
King Charles to visit Canada for throne speech amid US tensions
Britain's King Charles III will travel to Canada in the coming days for a brief but 'impactful' visit, at a time when President Donald Trump is floating the idea of making his northern neighbour the 51st US state. The 76-year-old monarch, who is also Canada's head of state as part of the Commonwealth, has never publicly commented on the ambitions of the US president, a noted admirer of the royal family. Despite battling cancer for over a year, Charles accepted an invitation from Canada's newly appointed Prime Minister Mark Carney to deliver the 'speech from the throne' at the reopening of parliament on May 27, outlining the new government's priorities. Queen Camilla will accompany him on the 24-hour visit to the capital Ottawa. 'The King and Queen are very much looking forward to the programme, mindful that it is a short visit but hopefully an impactful one,' a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said as the couple's May 26-27 itinerary was released this week. The throne speech is expected to draw close scrutiny, especially on sovereignty and trade, amid Trump's renewed rhetoric about annexing the country of 41 million and his recent imposition of higher tariffs.
Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Canadian actor comments on Trump's 51st state calls
William Shatner will boldly go to Donald Trump to make a counter offer after the president's repeated called to make Canada the 51st state. The Canadian-born actor was invited onto Jesse Watters Primetime Tuesday night to discuss Trump's Oval Office meeting with new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, when the president doubled down on his desire to annex the northern country. Speaking to the Fox News host about Trump's proposal, Shatner suggested Carney should make 'a counter offer. 'Let's offer Canada to the United States to be the 11th province,' he joked, sending Watters roaring with laughter. 'It's the best thing,' the Star Trek star continued. 'Here you have a friendly group of people saying "Come on over. It's cleaner, there's plenty of power, there's some lovely people who want to work with you. Be our 11th province."' Shatner went on to note that 'everyone is so serious about what is an unserious offer,' noting that Canada has been an independent nation for more than 150 years. He also called Trump's calls for Canada to be annexed 'denigrating.' But he is not the only one, with Carney admonishing the president inside the Oval Office and telling him that Canada is 'not for sale.' Meanwhile, over on MSNBC, host Katy Tur seemed to suggest the United States could go to war with its northern neighbor in a matter of days. She was speaking with Canadian journalist Stephen Marche, who recently wrote an article for The Atlantic evoking an armed conflict between the two nations. 'Just the very fact that it was published, I think is surprising - that we can have a conversation that is serious about what a war with Canada would look like. Explain why it's no longer unthinkable,' Tur pressed the journalist on her show Tuesday. Marche replied by blaming the rhetoric of President Trump for egging on a potential military battle between the longstanding allies. 'I mean, he talks about annexing us on a regular basis,' he said. 'I mean somewhere around two percent of the American population actually wants to do this, but you know at this point in history, you know, the American people can obviously be convinced of anything right?' Marche argued. 'And already, you see numbers of Republicans who consider Canada an enemy to be growing... 'And you know, I think when countries are in constitutional crisis and when their legal systems start to fall apart, violence against neighboring countries is a very common - to me, it's very intimately tied with this talk about being a third-term president,' the journalist continued. 'That's exactly, that's out of the playbook of authoritarian governments around the world. 'And so Canada really does need to think about protecting ourselves from the United States and making sure that we're not just a snack,' he argued. Marche made similar arguments in his piece for The Atlantic, which was published over the weekend - just ahead of Trump's meeting with the new Canadian Prime Minister . 'Donald Trump's pointless and malicious trade war has been, by his own account, a prelude to softening up Canada economically so that it can be appropriated as the 51st state,' the journalist wrote. 'He has brought up his plans for incorporating Canada into the union with Prime Ministers Justin Trudeau and Mark Carney in private calls. 'Canada could no longer comfortably sit within the American military sphere,' Marche declared. 'In this stark moment, our nation has abruptly become an adversary of the most powerful country in the world.' He goes on to argue that Canada would not be seized easily, and weighs the possibility of an armed conflict. Ultimately, Marche concludes: 'If Trump decides to run again, a manufactured emergency over Canada would be a convenient excuse for overturning the constitutional barriers. 'Nobody wants to believe that a continental conflict could happen,' he continues, noting, 'Very few Ukrainians, right up to the point of Russia's 2022 invasion, believed their malignant neighbor would invade. 'Canada cannot afford complacency,' Marche wrote.
