
What started as a joke is no longer one, as Donald Trump becomes increasingly aggressive and obsessed with the annexation of Canada, which he refers to as the 51st state. While it’s easy to lose track amidst the news cycles, here’s a recap of 13 shocking, and sometimes downright threatening, statements made by the American president against his neighbor, Canada.
The Annexation of Canada to the United States

“It comes a point when you just can’t do that. You have to run your own country. And to be honest with you, Canada only works as a state.”
“Ripped off”

“Look, we’ve been ripped off for years, and we’re not going to be ripped off anymore. No, I’m not going to bend at all. Aluminum or steel or cars. We’re not going to bend.”
The US doesn't “need anything” from Canada

“We don’t need their cars. We don’t need their energy. We don’t need their lumber. We don’t need anything that they that they give. We do it because we want to be helpful.”
“Subsidize Canada”

“We’ve been subjected to costs that we shouldn’t be subjected to. In the case of Canada, we’re spending 200 billion a year to subsidize Canada.”
The “artificial line”

“This would be the most incredible country visually. If you look at a map, they drew an artificial line right through it between Canada and the U.S. just a straight artificial line. Somebody did it a long time ago, many, many decades ago. And it makes no sense.”
Wayne Gretzky (who is now pro-Trump and MAGA)

“I love Canada. I love the people of Canada. I love I have many friends in Canada. Wayne Gretzky, the great. Hey, how good is Wayne Gretzky? He’s a great one […] But, you know, the United States can’t subsidize a country for $200 billion a year.”
The "best American state"

“It’s so perfect as a great and cherished state. Keeping, ‘Oh, Canada,’ the national anthem, I love it. I think it’s great. Keep it. But it’ll be for the state. One of our greatest states, maybe our greatest state.”
“A little disruption”

“Now there’ll be a little disruption, but it won’t be very long. They need us. We really don’t need them. And we have to do this. I’m sorry.”
The price paid that will be “read about in history books”

“Why would our Country allow another Country to supply us with electricity, even for a small area? Who made these decisions, and why? And can you imagine Canada stooping so low as to use ELECTRICITY, that so affects the life of innocent people, as a bargaining chip and threat? They will pay a financial price for this so big that it will be read about in history books for many years to come!”
Trump discovers supply management

“Also, Canada must immediately drop their Anti-American Farmer Tariff of 250% to 390% on various U.S. dairy products, which has long been considered outrageous.”
Trump wants to “shut down the automobile manufacturing in Canada”

“If other egregious, long time Tariffs are not likewise dropped by Canada, I will substantially increase, on April 2nd, the Tariffs on Cars coming into the U.S. which will, essentially, permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada.”
Military protection

“Canada pays very little for National Security, relying on the United States for military protection.”
“The only thing that makes sense”

“The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State. This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear. Canadians’ taxes will be very substantially reduced, they will be more secure, militarily and otherwise, than ever before, there would no longer be a Northern Border problem, and the greatest and most powerful nation in the world will be bigger, better and stronger than ever.”