Donald Trump’s recent jabs at Canada, including quips about it becoming the 51st U.S. state and referring to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as a “governor,” are deliberate attempts to humiliate the Canadian leader, according to John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser. These comments, Bolton says, align with Trump’s penchant for mockery and showmanship.
Bolton, now a critic of the president-elect, said the jokes reflect Trump’s strategy to poke fun at Trudeau while entertaining his audience. “I think he’s poking at Justin Trudeau and trying to humiliate him,” Bolton stated, emphasizing that Trump’s focus is more on theatrics than substance.
A History of Taunts and Tensions
Trump’s “51st state” comments are not new. Gerald Butts, Trudeau’s former principal secretary, revealed that similar remarks were made during Trump’s first term. The jabs resurfaced following a dinner between Trump and Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago, where Trump also threatened a 25% tariff on Canadian and Mexican goods.
Trump has referenced the idea in multiple venues, including social media, where he shared an AI-generated image of himself atop a mountain with a Canadian flag, and during interviews where he framed trade deficits as subsidies. Republican Senator Josh Hawley humorously remarked on the idea, suggesting a division of Canada into two states—one Republican and one Democrat.
Playing to Trump’s Ego
Bolton advises Trudeau to focus on strategies that appeal to Trump’s self-interest rather than addressing U.S.-Canada relations. “Forget about U.S.-Canadian relations—that’s not the issue for Trump. What makes Donald Trump look good?” he explained. Bolton also warned Trudeau against wading into U.S. domestic politics, referencing the prime minister’s recent comments about Kamala Harris’s election loss as a setback for women’s progress.
Tariff Threats Loom Large
While Trump’s jokes might seem like theatrics, Republican senators like Kevin Cramer believe the tariff threats are real. Cramer urged Canadian officials to comply with Trump’s demands to avoid economic repercussions. Trump has tied these threats to broader border security issues, despite the significant differences between challenges at the U.S.’s northern and southern borders.
Trade experts caution that retaliatory tariffs could harm Canadians and Americans alike. Trump’s focus on tariffs, Bolton added, disregards their economic impact, noting, “Tariffs are paid by the American importer and ultimately passed on to American consumers.”
Four More Years of Uncertainty?
With Trump’s return to power, Bolton predicts another term filled with quips, threats, and tariff battles. For Canada, the challenge will be navigating the complex dynamics of U.S.-Canada relations under a president who thrives on unpredictability and theatricality.
