Canadian businessman and “Shark Tank” investor Kevin O’Leary, 70, said in an interview this week that half of Canadians support President-elect Donald Trump’s idea for Canada to become part of the United States.
Additionally, O’Leary proposed that the United States and Canada eliminate their border and form a united front against China and Russia.
This came after weeks of Trump stating that Canada should become America’s 51st state, including on Christmas Day in a post on Truth Social.
In the post, Trump wished “Merry Christmas” to “Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada, whose Citizens’ Taxes are far too high, but if Canada was to become our 51st State, their Taxes would be cut by more than 60%, their businesses would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other Country anywhere in the World.”
“There’s 41 million Canadians, basically the population of California, sitting on the world’s largest amounts of all resources, including the most important, energy and water. Canadians over the holidays the last two days have been talking about this. They want to hear more,” O’Leary said in an interview with Fox Business.
“And so there’s obviously a lot of issues and more details, but what this could be is the beginning of an economic union. Think about the power of combining the two economies, erasing the border between Canada and the United States and putting all that resource up to the northern borders where China and Russia are knocking on the door,” he added.
“So secure that, give a common currency, figure out taxes across the board, get everything trading both ways, create a new, almost EU-like passport. I like this idea and at least half of Canadians are interested. The problem is the government’s collapsing in Canada right now,” he continued.
“Nobody wants [Canadian Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau to negotiate this deal. I don’t want him doing it for me. So I’m going to go to Mar-a-Lago. I’ll start the narrative. The 41 million Canadians, I think most of them would trust me on this deal,” he concluded.
‘Shark Tank’ star Kevin O’Leary says half of Canadians favor Trump’s proposal for Canada to join the US https://t.co/5PT5GEVbJI pic.twitter.com/4U8meCmHRD
— New York Post (@nypost) December 27, 2024
As Townhall covered, Trump previously said that adding Canada to the U.S. would be a “great idea.”
“No one can answer why we subsidize Canada to the tune of over $100,000,000 a year? Makes no sense! Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State. They would save massively on taxes and military protection. I think it is a great idea. 51st State!!!” Trump wrote.
Before this, he wrote: “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!”
This remark came shortly after reports broke that Trump told Trudeau that if he has an issue with the tariffs that he plans to impose, Canada could join the United States.
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