Prime Minister Justin Trudeau clapped back Tuesday at Donald TrumpB次元官网网址檚 escalating claims that Canada would be better off if it became the 51st state.

B次元官网网址淭here isnB次元官网网址檛 a snowballB次元官网网址檚 chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States,B次元官网网址� Trudeau said in a statement posted to social media.

B次元官网网址淲orkers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each otherB次元官网网址檚 biggest trading and security partners.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 the first time Trudeau has commented directly on TrumpB次元官网网址檚 51st state remarks. Those remarks have grown in both force and number since he first quipped about it in November, when the prime minister and Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc dined with the president-elect at Mar-a-Lago in Florida to discuss his tariff threats.

LeBlanc has repeatedly dismissed the idea as B次元官网网址渁 joke.B次元官网网址�

TrudeauB次元官网网址檚 post came Tuesday after Trump expanded his rhetoric about the 51st state scenario in his first news conference since the certification of his election a day earlier.

In his remarks Tuesday, Trump pushed ideas for U.S. territorial expansion and would not rule out the use of military force to seize control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, saying they were vital to American security.

In response to questions about his claims that he will make Canada the 51st state, the president-elect said he would rely on B次元官网网址渆conomic forceB次元官网网址� to merge the two countries.

B次元官网网址淵ou get rid of that artificially drawn line and you take a look at what that looks like, and it would also be much better for national security,B次元官网网址� Trump said, referring to the border between Canada and the U.S.

B次元官网网址淎nd donB次元官网网址檛 forget, we basically protect Canada.B次元官网网址�

TrumpB次元官网网址檚 remarks quickly drew fire in Canada. Foreign Affairs Minister M茅lanie Joly posted on X that his comments B次元官网网址渟how a complete lack of understanding of what makes Canada a strong country.B次元官网网址�

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh told Trump to B次元官网网址渃ut the crap.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淵our attacks will hurt jobs on both sides of the border,B次元官网网址� Singh posted on X. B次元官网网址淵ou come for CanadiansB次元官网网址� jobs, Americans will pay a price.B次元官网网址�

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre did not mention Trump by name but said B次元官网网址淐anada will never be the 51st state. Period.B次元官网网址� In a post on X, Poilievre said Canada is an independent country and the United StatesB次元官网网址� best friend.

In a wide-ranging news conference at TrumpB次元官网网址檚 Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, the president-elect said he will impose B次元官网网址渟ubstantialB次元官网网址� tariffs on Canada and Mexico when he returns to the White House in less than two weeks.

Trump said previously heB次元官网网址檒l slap 25 per cent duties on imports from AmericaB次元官网网址檚 closest neighbours unless they stop the flow of illegal drugs and migrants across the border.

Trudeau and LeBlanc made a quick trip to Florida late last year to discuss the threat. A few weeks later, LeBlanc announced a series of measures to beef up border security with a $1.3-billion package. Trump has indicated he still intends to proceed with his tariff plan.

Trump mused about that meeting with Trudeau during TuesdayB次元官网网址檚 news conference and claimed repeatedly that Canada is subsidized by the U.S. He said the U.S. doesnB次元官网网址檛 need Canadian imports like milk, lumber and automobiles.

The president-elect also criticized CanadaB次元官网网址檚 level of military funding and said he told hockey legend Wayne Gretzky to run for prime minister.

Matthew Lebo, a specialist in U.S. politics at Western University in London, Ont., said he doesnB次元官网网址檛 think Trump will infringe on CanadaB次元官网网址檚 sovereignty by somehow forcing the two countries to merge. But the president-electB次元官网网址檚 comments show an unwillingness to understand the bilateral relationship, he added.

B次元官网网址淐anada should be incredibly nervous that our economic health is in the hands of somebody who doesnB次元官网网址檛 understand how things work,B次元官网网址� he said.

Canada is in a particularly difficult diplomatic situation after Trudeau announced Monday that he will resign his post as soon as a new Liberal leader is chosen, Lebo said.

The date for a Liberal leadership race hasnB次元官网网址檛 been set. Trudeau also prorogued Parliament until March 24 and a federal election will take place later this year.

Earlier Tuesday, Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer said Trudeau had been B次元官网网址渨eakB次元官网网址� in dealing with subsequent U.S. administrations. Singh challenged anyone running for prime minister to commit to retaliatory tariffs if Trump acts on his promises.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has warned he will retaliate if Trump follows through, suggesting the province could cut energy exports to the U.S. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said her province would not impose retaliatory tariffs on oil and gas.

British Columbia Premier David Eby said Tuesday that the burden of confronting the tariff threat has now fallen to the premiers. He said he and his counterparts from across Canada will travel to Washington in an effort to convince the president-elect to back away from the tariff plan.

B次元官网网址淚t makes no sense to punish both Americans and Canadians to address that issue,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲e can do it together.B次元官网网址�

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 7, 2025.

B次元官网网址� With files from David Baxter in Ottawa, Brenna Owen in Vancouver and The Associated Press

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press