--- title: Is Trump Planning to Annex Canada and Make It the 51st State? Here's What to Know description: Trump has frequently expressed his desire to annex Canada, raising tensions amid tariff disputes and policy clashes. canonical: https://time.com/article/2026/06/02/trump-annex-canada-51st-state-rhetoric-carney-us-partnership-message/ author: Callum Sutherland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-06-02T15:43:39.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-06-02T18:29:02.150Z article:section: Politics og:title: Trump Revisits Idea to Annex Canada and Make It the 51st State og:description: Trump has frequently expressed his desire to annex Canada, further raising tensions amid tariff disputes and policy clashes. og:url: https://time.com/article/2026/06/02/trump-annex-canada-51st-state-rhetoric-carney-us-partnership-message/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd217d77aa256dde3/6a1ef998161662041c49c5e7/GettyImages-2240467708_(1).jpg?branch=production&width=3576&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3576 og:image:height: 2012 og:image:alt: GettyImages-2240467708 (1).jpg og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump Revisits Idea to Annex Canada and Make It the 51st State twitter:description: Trump has frequently expressed his desire to annex Canada, further raising tensions amid tariff disputes and policy clashes. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd217d77aa256dde3/6a1ef998161662041c49c5e7/GettyImages-2240467708_(1).jpg?branch=production&width=3576&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Trump Revisits Idea to Annex Canada and Make It the 51st State, Days After Carney Calls for New Partnership With U.S. > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. by [Callum Sutherland](https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/) ## Callum Sutherland Reporter Jun 2, 2026 3:43 PM UTC  Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney greets U.S. President Donald Trump during a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Oct. 13, 2025. Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney greets U.S. President Donald Trump during a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Oct. 13, 2025. Evan Vucci—Getty Images by [Callum Sutherland](https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/) ## Callum Sutherland Reporter Jun 2, 2026 3:43 PM UTC President Donald Trump has revived talk of his ambitions to annex [Canada](https://time.com/7357333/carney-trump-row-united-states-canada-relationship/) and make it the 51st state—an idea he has [floated repeatedly ](https://time.com/7297490/trump-plan-to-annex-canada-51st-state-mark-carney/)since returning to the White House last year. The most recent instance occurred Monday night, when Trump shared an article that stated Canada [had entered](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-29/canada-dips-into-technical-recession-for-first-time-since-2020?embedded-checkout=true) a “technical recession” for the first time since 2020\. In response, [the President](https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116677910570104917) wrote: “51st State!” The Bank of Canada itself had earlier addressed the recent ​data that showed GDP had declined for ​two consecutive quarters on an ​annualized basis, cautioning people about focusing on the numbers. “I ​think ⁠we need to be careful ​not to put ​too ⁠much weight on any one indicator,” the bank’s senior deputy governor ​[Carolyn Rogers](https://parlvu.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2/20260602/-1/45455) told a parliamentary committee. Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded directly to the annexation reference, [stating](https://x.com/fordnation/status/2061798117167505850): “I can’t believe I have to say this again, but Canada will never be the 51st state. Canada is not for sale.” Trump revisiting his “51st state” rhetoric comes just days after Canadian Prime Minister [Mark Carney](https://time.com/article/2026/04/14/how-canada-fell-in-love-with-mark-carney/) expressed an eagerness to create a new partnership with the U.S. “As we consolidate our strengths, there are several opportunities that Canada and the United States should seize to work together and compete with the rest of the world,” [said Carney ](https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/speeches/2026/05/28/prime-minister-carney-delivers-remarks-economic-club-new-york)at an event hosted by the Economic Club of New York on May 28\. “The time has come for a new partnership that will redefine the economic relationship between our two countries.” Carney emphasized that while the world is “undergoing a rupture” and “becoming more divided,” strength can be found in unity. He pointed towards a number of [international trade agreements](https://time.com/7337391/canada-carney-economy-trade-trump/) reached between Canada and global partners. “Our core objective across these partnerships is to increase our strategic autonomy. Because we live in a world where integration has been weaponised,” Carney said, adding that a strong Canada is in a better position to work with America as an ally. “While Canada and the United States have had our differences over the years, we have always, eventually, worked through them, because our shared values and common interests run deep,” he implored. “Canada Strong will help make America great again.” He proposed to the U.S. that potential agreements could include the purchase of Canadian aluminum, automobiles, and critical minerals. The [newly-established](https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2026/04/canada-strong-fund.html) Canada Strong Fund is set to focus on investments in the country’s infrastructure. Carney was sworn in as Prime Minister in March 2025, during a time when Trump’s remarks about Canada had stirred up [significant national pride](https://time.com/7213534/trumps-threats-to-canada-will-backfire/). Since then, as well as Trump routinely [expressing](https://time.com/article/2026/03/10/trump-carney-canada-future-governor-annexation/) his desire to annex Canada—a notion Carney has flatly said “[will never happen](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn4j38gk8edo)”—there have also been [major tariff disputes](https://time.com/7377952/republicans-break-with-trump-to-overturn-canada-tariffs/). ### Canada requests renewal of North American free trade pact Canada’s Minister for Internal Trade Dominic LeBlanc on Tuesday issued a formal request to the U.S. and Mexico to renew the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) amid the looming [July deadline](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48787) to negotiate the pact. In the letter addressed to his Mexican and U.S. counterparts, [LeBlanc reportedly called](https://apnews.com/article/canada-us-mexico-free-trade-agreement-mexico-trump-467fdce809801d2f078af55a1111cdf9) the trade agreement “highly beneficial to each of our countries and to the integrated North American economy.” LeBlanc said the review provides an opportunity for the three countries “to assess whether there are ways to strengthen it and consider where improvements may be warranted to keep up with evolving economic conditions.” U.S. and Mexican representatives have [already met ](https://ustr.gov/about/policy-offices/press-office/press-releases/2026/may/united-states-and-mexico-conclude-first-bilateral-round-related-joint-review-usmca)for a first round of talks related to the review set for July. “What Canada would like is an increased stability and predictability, so renewal of the three country agreement (USMCA) and elimination—or at the very least, a significant lowering—of tariffs,” Edward Alden, senior fellow at the American think tank Council on Foreign Relations, tells TIME, adding that avoiding any [further damage](https://www.rbc.com/en/economics/canadian-analysis/featured-analysis/insights/one-year-of-tariff-shocks-in-canada-what-we-learned/) to the Canadian economy is a key goal. Canada has “based its economic future on trusting the United States,” Alden adds, referencing [trade agreements](https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF12595) established between the two countries in recent decades. “Trump has turned his back on all of that.” Earlier this year, [Carney issued a stern response](https://time.com/7357333/carney-trump-row-united-states-canada-relationship/) after Trump told Davos attendees that “Canada lives because of the United States.” “Canada does not live because of the United States. Canada thrives because we are Canadian,” Carney said in a filmed address. ### Carney urges unity in light of Alberta's separation vote Trump’s most recent remarks in reference to Canada come as Carney is facing strain on the homefront. He has called for unity after Alberta Premier Danielle Smith [announced ](https://time.com/article/2026/05/22/carney-canada-alberta-separation-vote-referendum-response/)the province will hold a referendum on whether to remain in Canada. Carney has described the referendum question as a “very dangerous bluff,” comparing it to the [Brexit ](https://time.com/5560485/brexit-questions-answers/)vote held in the U.K.in 2016, which led to the nation leaving the European Union. Carney, who was Governor of the Bank of England at the time, said he “saw first-hand what happened in the United Kingdom, when the view was ‘vote for this, it'll be soft, and then we'll negotiate.’” “They're still, 10 years later, trying to undo what people didn't think they were voting for, but what they ended up having,” he argued. Describing Alberta as “essential,” Carney has said he looks forward to making his case that the province should remain one with Canada. Alberta’s Premier announced the referendum decision on May 21, after a [citizen-led petition ](https://time.com/article/2026/05/05/alberta-canada-separatist-movement-referendum/)calling for separation received over 300,000 signatures. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/06/02/trump-annex-canada-51st-state-rhetoric-carney-us-partnership-message/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/06/02/trump-annex-canada-51st-state-rhetoric-carney-us-partnership-message/"},"headline":"Trump Revisits Idea to Annex Canada and Make It the 51st State, Days After Carney Calls for New Partnership With U.S.","datePublished":"2026-06-02T15:43:39.000Z","dateModified":"2026-06-02T18:29:02.150Z","description":"Trump has frequently expressed his desire to annex Canada, raising tensions amid tariff disputes and policy clashes.","url":"https://time.com/article/2026/06/02/trump-annex-canada-51st-state-rhetoric-carney-us-partnership-message/","keywords":["Canada","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd217d77aa256dde3/6a1ef998161662041c49c5e7/GettyImages-2240467708_(1).jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Callum Sutherland","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltd217d77aa256dde3/6a1ef998161662041c49c5e7/GettyImages-2240467708_(1).jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"GettyImages-2240467708 (1).jpg","caption":"","creditText":"Evan Vucci—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/canada/","name":"Canada"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/article/2026/06/02/trump-annex-canada-51st-state-rhetoric-carney-us-partnership-message/","name":"Trump Revisits Idea to Annex Canada and Make It the 51st State, Days After Carney Calls for New Partnership With U.S."}}]}] ```