US President-elect Donald Trump has ignited laughter and debate alike by addressing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the "Governor" of the "Great State of Canada," following their recent dinner meeting.
On his social media, Truth Social, the 78-year-old said: "It was great to have dinner the other night with Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada. Looking forward to seeing the Governor again soon so that we can have some very good additional discussions on Tariffs and Trade, which will be BIG league!
The comment immediately went viral, causing widespread amusement and confusion online as users weighed whether Trump was indeed firing a shot across the Canadian's bow.
According to reports, the comment has its origin in Trump's earlier proposal to Trudeau to consider making Canada the 51st state of the United States in case his proposed 25 per cent tariffs were going to devastate the Canadian economy.
According to some media sources, Trump also warned that this outcome will occur if Ottawa fails to address illegal migration and drug trafficking among other issues.
The remarks were made during an impromptu dinner at Mar-a-Lago, Trump's Florida resort, where Trudeau was seeking to head off the threatened tariffs on Canadian and Mexican products. These tariffs were said to be related to what Trump described as their failure to control cross-border illegal activities and drug trafficking into the US.
According to Fox News, Trump explained his proposed tariffs as necessary for border security, curbing drug trafficking, and reducing trade deficits. Trudeau, however, countered that such measures would severely hurt Canada's economy.
During dinner, according to reports, Trump joked, "Maybe Canada should become the 51st state of the US and Trudeau could become its Governor," which brought nervous laughter from the Canadian leader.
This meeting gave Trump an opportunity to remind the people again of his vision of US-Canada relations ahead of his inauguration on January 20.
He claims the US subsidizes Canada and Mexico to an extent that is too high. "We subsidize Canada to the tune of over $100 billion a year, we subsidize Mexico to the tune of almost $300 billion. Why are we subsidizing these countries? If we're going to subsidize them, let them become new states," he recently told a TV interviewer.
He indicated that in light of the comments and threats made by Trump, his government was ready to protect Canadian interests. His point was that if there were U.S. tariffs, that would be reciprocated; he further added that that would not only make those products expensive but more painful for the American consumer as well.
The diplomatic dinner at Mar-a-Lago formed an antechamber to potentially contentious negotiations when President Trump actually took office.
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