Ontario Premier Responds to Trump’s Annexation Remarks with Humor
Ontario Premier Doug Ford humorously fired back at U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s comments on annexing Canada by suggesting Canada could purchase Minnesota and Alaska instead. The remark came during a Monday press conference when Ford was asked about Trump’s proposed 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods, alongside his suggestion of making Canada the “51st state.”
“You know something, to the president, I’ll make him a counteroffer. How about if we buy Alaska, and we’ll throw in Minnesota and Minneapolis at the same time,” Ford quipped, adding that Trump was likely joking and that such a merger is “not realistic.”
Minnesota, which shares a 550-mile border with Canada, plays a significant role in the two countries’ intertwined economies. Ford stressed the importance of the relationship, noting that Canada supplies the U.S. with critical resources like oil, electricity, and minerals.
“We’re two of the greatest countries, strongest allies in the world, friends. We need to get through this and start talking about trade,” Ford said during a CNN interview, urging Trump to avoid disrupting trade ties.
Ford also took aim at China, accusing it of collaborating with Mexico to harm North American jobs by shipping cheap goods labeled as “Made in Mexico.”
The humorous exchange underscores ongoing tensions as Trump proposes tariffs that experts predict could raise U.S. consumer prices on fuel, electronics, and household goods. In a separate comment, Trump mentioned potential “takeovers” of Greenland and the Panama Canal, drawing further international attention.
While Ford downplayed the seriousness of his “counteroffer,” the exchange highlights the delicate balance in U.S.-Canada trade relations amid Trump’s unconventional policy proposals.
