Mark Carney rejects Trump’s push to make Canada the 51st US state

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney rebuffs Donald Trump’s annexation remarks during their first White House meeting.

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 6, 2025. Photo by Jim Watson/AFP

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has firmly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's provocative suggestion that Canada could one day become the 51st U.S. state. In a highly anticipated meeting at the White House on Tuesday, Carney responded with a direct rebuke to Trump’s overture, signaling a continued strain in relations between Ottawa and Washington.

“As you know from real estate, there are some places that are never for sale,” Carney told Trump in the Oval Office. “Having met with the owners of Canada over the course of the campaign . . . it’s not for sale. It won’t be for sale, ever.”

The Canadian prime minister’s pointed remarks came in response to Trump’s latest in a series of statements pushing for Canadian statehood — a recurring theme during the recent Canadian election campaign, which saw Carney’s Liberal party sweep to power on an anti-Trump platform.

Trump, not backing down, responded with a smirk and a phrase that may foreshadow further tensions between the two countries. “Never say never,” he said, adding, “I’ve had many, many things that were not doable, and they ended up being doable, and only doable in a very friendly way.”

Carney’s campaign defined by Trump opposition

The Tuesday meeting marked the first in-person encounter between the two leaders since Carney’s decisive electoral win last month. Trump’s confrontational stance toward Canada — including tariff threats and open discussion of annexation — had become a defining issue of the campaign. Carney’s consistent rebuttal of Trump’s influence helped galvanize support across Canada, particularly among voters wary of American interference in domestic affairs.

Despite the friction, Trump opened the meeting with surprising levity, referencing Carney’s campaign success: “I think I was the greatest thing that happened to him. It was probably one of the greatest comebacks in the history of politics — maybe even greater than mine.”

Still, he described the new Canadian leader in positive terms. “I have a lot of respect for this man,” Trump said. “A very talented person, a very good person.”

Negotiating with tension: Trade, tariffs, and territorial pride

While the issue of statehood dominated headlines, the leaders’ discussions extended into vital areas such as the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), regional security, and cross-border crime. Carney emphasized that he came to the table with specific goals: reinforcing defense cooperation, tightening border security, and combatting the opioid crisis, especially fentanyl trafficking.

Both leaders agreed that the USMCA could be updated. Trump praised it as “a good deal for everybody,” though he criticized Canada for not consistently upholding its commitments under the agreement. “It was actually very effective and still is, but people have to follow it — and that’s been a problem,” Trump said.

Carney echoed the need for revisions. “[The USMCA] is a basis for a broader negotiation. Some things about it are going to have to change,” he said.

Trump questions Canada’s manufacturing role

True to his America-first stance, Trump expressed skepticism toward Canada’s role in supplying U.S. markets with steel and automobiles. “We want to make our own cars. We don’t really want cars from Canada,” he said bluntly. “And we don’t want steel from Canada because we’re making our own steel, and we’re having massive steel plants being built right now as we speak.”

This protectionist tone appeared to clash with Carney’s broader economic vision, which aims to foster North American cooperation in key industries — particularly to counter growing competition from Asia. Speaking later at the Canadian embassy in Washington, Carney remained diplomatic, describing the meeting as “wide-ranging” and “very constructive.”

“This is the point at which a serious discussion begins,” he told reporters. “We’re having a very complex negotiation about a wide range of issues, and as I said before I came here, I wouldn’t have expected white smoke coming out of this meeting.”

Canada stands firm as annexation talk continues

Despite the largely cordial atmosphere in the Oval Office, Trump’s annexation comments underscored the fundamental differences between the two governments. Carney’s clear and unequivocal rejection of the idea — framed as protecting national sovereignty — struck a sharp contrast with Trump’s open-ended musings.

“There’ll be zigs and zags, difficult aspects to it,” Carney said of the ongoing U.S.-Canada discussions. “But the prospect is there. We discussed it in more detail and as I said, we’ll be following up — between officials, but also he and I in the coming weeks.”

The statement suggested that while bilateral talks would continue, Canada’s position on sovereignty is not negotiable. Carney made it clear that Canada will engage in discussions about trade and shared security, but not at the cost of independence.

Political theater or serious policy shift?

Analysts remain divided on whether Trump’s talk of Canadian annexation is a political stunt aimed at energizing his base ahead of the 2026 midterms, or if it signals a deeper shift in U.S. foreign policy under his administration. Either way, Carney’s government has made it known that it will not be bullied.

Canadian officials, both past and present, rallied behind the prime minister’s comments. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted: “Canada is not and will never be for sale. Proud of PM Carney for standing up for our nation’s sovereignty.”

Across Canada, public opinion remains firmly against any annexation. A poll released by Ipsos following the Carney–Trump meeting found that 84% of Canadians believe the idea of becoming a U.S. state is “completely unacceptable.”

Next steps in a complex bilateral relationship

Although Trump’s annexation rhetoric dominated the headlines, the meeting between Carney and Trump likely set the tone for the next phase of the U.S.–Canada relationship — one that will be tested on multiple fronts.

From revisiting trade agreements to cooperating on security threats and navigating rising geopolitical pressures, the two nations face a delicate balancing act. Carney’s firm stance, combined with a willingness to negotiate on practical issues, suggests a nuanced strategy aimed at defending Canadian interests while maintaining critical North American ties.

Whether Trump’s ambitions to incorporate Canada are genuine or not, the Canadian prime minister’s message was clear and unwavering: Canada is not for sale — and will not be, under any circumstances.