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| - Trump's remark was reportedly part of a running gag that began with the president-elect making fun of Trudeau's complaint that new U.S. tariffs would harm the Canadian economy. According to a Fox News report, Trump told Trudeau that if Canada can't survive U.S. tariffs, maybe it should become the 51st state and Trudeau could be its governor.
A rumor circulating online said U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, on his Truth Social platform referred to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as "Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada."
For example, a user on X named Skyler Johnson — chair of the Suffolk County Young Democrats in New York — shared (archived) a purported screenshot of the Truth Social post on Dec. 10, 2024. The Trump post in the image read, "It was a pleasure to have dinner the other night with Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada. I look forward to seeing the Governor again soon so that we may continue our in depth talks on Tariffs and Trade, the results of which will be truly spectacular for all! DJT."
Johnson remarked of the post, "I'm sorry but if Joe Biden referred to Justin Trudeau as Governor and Canada as a state we would be getting dozens of articles about how he's senile and needs to resign."
One user responding to Johnson said (archived), "He's trolling and you're too damn dumb to see it's a joke." Johnson replied (archived) to that user by pasting a link to another of Johnson's responses, suggesting, "Yeah that's kind of the point. If Joe Biden says anything he's senile. If Trump says anything insane he's joking."
In another post on X, the user Breaking911 (@Breaking911) posted (archived) a police car beacon emoji with the headline, "TRUMP CALLS TRUDEAU 'GOVERNOR OF THE GREAT STATE OF CANADA.'" Other users on X also shared the same rumor.
It's true Trump shared the Truth Social post (archived) in the early morning hours of Dec. 10. The post served as the latest chapter in a story Fox News first reported as a joking remark made by Trump during a Nov. 29, 2024, dinner with the Canadian prime minister, in which Trump allegedly suggested Canada could become the 51st U.S. state and Trudeau could be its governor.
NBC News reported of the Truth Social post that Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung only remarked to the news network's inquiry, "It's so good."
We contacted by email the Trump-Vance transition team to ask for further comment regarding this matter and will update this story if we receive a response.
Trudeau's Mar-a-Lago Dinner
This story can be traced back to Nov. 29, when Trudeau arranged a dinner with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach.
On Dec. 2, Fox News first reported the new details of an alleged exchange at the dinner. In a live report later replayed on "Hannity," Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy cited two anonymous sources and said Trump's remark was a joke.
"We're getting some new details about that Trump-Trudeau dinner from two people who were at the table," Doocy reported. "We are told that when Trudeau told President-elect Trump that new tariffs would kill the Canadian economy, Trump joked to him that if Canada can't survive without ripping off the U.S. to the tune of $100 billion a year, then maybe Canada should become the 51st state and Trudeau could become its governor."
The Associated Press also reported on Dec. 10:
When Trudeau hastily flew to Florida to meet with Trump last month over the president-elect's threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian products entering the U.S., the Republican tossed out the idea that Canada become the 51st U.S. state.
The Canadians passed off the comment as a joke, but Trump has continued to play up the dig, including in a post Tuesday morning on his social media network referring to the prime minister as "Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada."
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