'Oh Canada': Trump shares unified US-Canada map hours after 'economic force' remark

Trump shared a map on Truth Social depicting a unified US and Canada adorned with the American flag, captioned, "Oh Canada!"

US President-elect Donald Trump, on Tuesday, proposed incorporating Canada into the United States as its 51st state, sparking further controversy. Hours after threatening to use "economic force" to achieve this, Trump shared a map on Truth Social depicting a unified US and Canada adorned with the American flag, captioned, "Oh Canada!"

During a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence following the certification of his election victory, Trump called the US-Canada border an "artificially drawn line" and argued that eliminating it would benefit national security. He expressed confidence that the merger would herald the "dawn of America's golden age."

Trump criticised Canada's military spending, stating, "They have a very small military. They rely on our military. It’s very unfair." However, when asked if he would use military force to achieve his goal, he clarified, "No, economic force."

The proposal has drawn sharp criticism from Canadian leaders. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau strongly rebuffed the idea, tweeting, "There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States. Workers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each other's biggest trading and security partner."

Trudeau, who has had a contentious relationship with Trump during his previous presidency, emphasized Canada's independence and strength. Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly echoed this sentiment, calling Trump's remarks a "complete lack of understanding" of Canada. She added, "Our economy is strong. Our people are strong. We will never back down in the face of threats."

Trump has floated the idea of integrating Canada into the US on multiple occasions, reigniting the proposal after his November 5 election victory. In his post on Truth Social, he claimed, "Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State. The United States can no longer suffer the massive trade deficits and subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat."