Trudeau says Canada as 51st state ‘non-starter,’ vows tariff response

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that President Donald Trump’s repeated remarks about Canada becoming the 51st US state is a “non-starter” as he vowed to respond to incoming tariffs, Report informs via Global News.

As Trump’s tariff threat looms, Canadian premiers, who are in Washington, D.C., are set to meet with senior advisors to the US president at the White House Wednesday afternoon.

Speaking to reporters earlier in Brussels on Wednesday, Trudeau said Canada does not want to be in a trade dispute with the US, but if Trump follows through on his threats, “we will be equally unequivocal in our response.”

“Canada will respond as appropriate in a calibrated but extremely strong way, regardless of what the US moves forward with,” Trudeau said.