Trump Floats Idea Of US-Canada ‘Merger’ After Saying He’d Use ‘Economic Force’ To Make It Happen
On Tuesday (October 7), the 79-year-old met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, 60, in the Oval Office to discuss ongoing trade tensions. The meeting came after the Republican administration’s decision earlier this year to raise tariffs on Canadian goods to 35 percent. Canada fired back with its own heavy taxes on U.S. exports, escalating the economic dispute between the two nations.
This round of tariffs traces back to February, when Trump linked the policy to border security and accused Canada of taking advantage of the U.S. in trade deals.
At present, new trade restrictions remain in effect, including a 50 percent tariff on steel and aluminum and a 25 percent tax on automobiles. Despite these heated measures, Trump maintained that there is still “mutual love” between the two countries and downplayed the tension as part of a tough negotiation process.
The U.S. president emphasized that relations with Canada have always been close, even when the two allies find themselves clashing over trade.
“I think they’re going to be very happy,” he told reporters in Washington. “They talk about competitiveness; he’s [Carney] a very competitive person.”
According to a BBC News report, Trump also said that the U.S. and Canada’s trade relationship is among the hardest to negotiate, mainly because both countries are competing for similar industries and export markets.
He then hinted that parts of the CUSMA agreement could be revisited in the near future if it benefits both economies.
Before the 2.5-hour meeting, Carney referred to Trump as a “transformative president” and highlighted several of his recent economic and diplomatic accomplishments.
“And the merger of Canada and the United States,” he remarked with a half-smile.
Trump’s comment followed up on earlier statements he made this year, in which he threatened to use “economic force” to push for a merger between the two nations, according to CBC News.
In a later appearance in Palm Beach, he mused that combining the two countries would “really be something,” adding: “You get rid of the artificially drawn line and you take a look at what that looks like and it would also be much better national security. Don’t forget: We basically protect Canada.”
His remarks have since sparked a mix of confusion, amusement, and criticism both in Washington and north of the border.
“Workers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each other’s biggest trading and security partner,” Trudeau wrote on X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing the value of maintaining Canada’s independence.
Trump later acknowledged that he had “no right” to annex the country, though he continued to insist that closer economic ties were in both nations’ best interests.
It remains unclear when — or if — the two sides will publicly announce the next phase of their negotiations, but for now, talk of a U.S.-Canada merger has once again taken center stage.
