When Donald Trump first floated the idea of Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state, nearly everyone laughed it off—just a disrespectful old man taking a jab at “weak” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, right?
But last week, Trudeau appeared to privately acknowledge that annexing Canada is a real ambition of the new U.S. president. And when it comes to Trump, there’s usually a method to the madness.
Experience tells us that the more times Trump repeats preposterous ideas, the less preposterous they seem—not just to his core supporters.
Even Trump concedes he can’t use military force to take over Canada, but many Canadians fear he will apply crushing economic pressure to achieve his goals. And his most prized target, according to multiple reports, is Canada’s vast mineral wealth.
Trump’s primary weapon to bludgeon Canada into submission? His beloved “beautiful tariffs.” If he follows through on his threat to impose aggressive duties on Canadian exports next month, the consequences for Canada’s economy could be severe.
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