Trump’s ‘51st State’ Comments A Distraction From Tariffs, Canada’s Retaliation Plans, Trudeau Says

President-elect Donald Trump’s rhetoric around Canada becoming a 51st state is a distraction from the economic impact a trade war will have on American workers and businesses, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau charged Sunday.

In an interview with MSNBC’s Jen Psaki, the Canadian prime minister vowed to fight fire with fire should Trump make good on his Day 1 promise to impose a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian products.

“As we did last time, we are ready to respond with tariffs as necessary,” Trudeau said on “Inside with Jen Psaki” one of his first sit-down interviews with American TV since he announced he was stepping down as Liberal leader. He will remain on until March.

In 2018, Canada slapped dollar-for-dollar tariffs on U.S. steel and aluminum in response to the Trump administration’s tariffs on Canada’s steel and aluminum during NAFTA negotiations.

Trudeau is expected to finalize Canada’s retaliatory plan this week when he meets with Canada’s 13 premiers in person on Wednesday. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is also set to travel to Washington that day to relay details of the plan with the incoming Trump administration.

Trump has been taunting the neighbor up north following his initial threat in November to slap tariffs on Canada if it doesn’t fix the flow of fentanyl and illegal migration at their shared border.

Trudeau’s government has made efforts to combat those concerns by proposing a one billion dollar spending plan at the border, which has been presented to the incoming Trump administration.

“I was pleased to highlight that less than 1 percent of the illegal migrants, less than 1 percent of the fentanyl that comes into the United States comes from Canada,” Trudeau said of his visit to Mar-a-Lago in Florida in November where he dined with Trump. “So we're not a problem.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford and British Columbia Premier David Eby have said they are willing to cut off electricity to the United States in response to widespread tariffs.

Trudeau also pointed out that as an electricity export to the U.S., including the West Coast, a 25 percent tariff could increase the cost of energy for American households.

“No American wants to pay 25 percent more for electricity or oil and gas coming in from Canada,” Trudeau said.

“And that's something that I think people need to pay a little more attention to. And perhaps the idea of a 51st state is distracting a little bit from a very real question that will increase the cost of living for Americans and harm a trading relationship that works extremely well.”

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who leads Canada’s oil-rich province, traveled to Mar-a-Lago over the weekend, where she said she spoke to Trump twice.

“We had a friendly and constructive conversation during which I emphasized the mutual importance of the U.S -Canadian energy relationship, and specifically, how hundreds of thousands of American jobs are supported by energy exports from Alberta,” Smith said in a statement posted on X.

“I was also able to have similar discussions with several key allies of the incoming administration and was encouraged to hear their support for a strong energy and security relationship with Canada.”