British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday refused to measure repeated calls from U.S. President Donald Trump to make Canada the 51st state before Trump cut off the British leader's response completely at a joint press conference.
Asked Starmer if he or King Charles III were concerned about Trump’s remarks about members of the Commonwealth during his visit to the White House, including multiple meetings on issues such as trade and the Ukrainian war.
The British leader said the Canadian topic was not raised in these talks and tried to highlight the historical friendship between Britain and the United States.
“I think you're trying to find a gap that doesn't exist between us,” Starmer said.
After continuing to answer for a moment, Trump interrupted “Enough, thank you” and called on another reporter.
Canada is a member of the former colonial Commonwealth. Although King Charles is technically the head of state of these countries, they are free to make their own decisions as independent states.
In Canada, the king is represented by the Governor, who acts on the advice of the Prime Minister of the Government.
The King and Canada's allies in Europe have been silent, while Trump has repeatedly talked about the US taking over Canada, which has threatened “economic forces” to do so.
While Canadian officials tried to downplay Trump's threat, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a group of Canadian business and labor leaders earlier this month that Trump's threat was “a real thing” related to his administration's desire to acquire key Canadian minerals.
Trump threatened to impose huge tariffs on Canada and Mexico, citing what he said was a massive stream of fentanyl from these countries to the United States. Trump confirmed this week that tariffs will take effect on Tuesday after a 30-day pause.
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Foreign Secretary Melanie Joly told reporters after a trip to Europe earlier this month that many European leaders do not have a complete grasp of how the Trump administration challenges the Canadian economy, when asked why few national leaders object to Trump’s threat to Canada.
“According to my conversations with many of my European colleagues, many of them are not necessarily fully aware of what’s going on, first in the United States and second in Canada. “Every country in the world is looking for its own reality,” she said. ”
“I think it’s a wake-up call, Europeans hear what we’re going through.”
Joley also added that she did not raise comments Trump has about Canada's absorption with Secretary of State Marco Rubio when he met with his G7 colleagues. She said she did respond when some U.S. senators were “joking” online at the Munich summit.
“I say it's not funny. It's respect for our country, the respect for our leaders and the respect for the people. I always answer the same thing, that is, (that's) we will be the best neighbors, the best ally – but we will never be a state, we will never be a colony,” she said.
“Canadians are proud, brave, and they do not accept any rhetorical form that goes against our own identity as a nation.”
Kirsten Hillman, a Canadian in the United States, told Global News last week that the 51st state “almost never” appeared in discussions between Canadian and Washington officials.
But, she said, Trump's Republican allies did not deny his annexation threat either.
– Documents with Canadian Press
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