President Donald Trump is once again stirring up international headlines — this time, with a controversial offer to America’s northern neighbor.
The Republican frontrunner has revealed new details of a bold proposal aimed at folding Canada into the United States under one condition: they must agree to become the 51st state.
In a May 27 post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed he’s extended an olive branch to Canada — but it’s wrapped in stars and stripes.
“I told Canada, which very much wants to be part of our fabulous Golden Dome System, that it will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State.”
The “Golden Dome System,” believed to be a reference to an advanced missile defense initiative modeled after Israel’s Iron Dome.
A sweeping network of space-based sensors
Last week, Trump announced that the U.S. has officially selected a design for the missile defense system.
He claimed that the Golden Dome will be operational “by the end of [his] time in office,” and it won’t just cover land and sea. Trump says it will include a sweeping network of space-based sensors and interceptors, giving the U.S. the ability to stop threats from virtually anywhere.
According to Trump, Canada has shown interest in joining the program — but not at the price tag attached to remaining independent.
Instead, he’s proposing what he calls a “zero dollar” alternative: statehood.
As many may recall, Trump’s proposal isn’t coming out of nowhere.
Earlier this year, during a trip to Washington, Canada’s then-defence minister Bill Blair admitted the country was open to joining the dome initiative, saying it “makes sense” and aligns with Canada’s “national interest.”
Canada’s answer
During his second presidency, he has also introduce sweeping tariffs that impacts economies worldwide, including Canada’s. His administration infamously slapped tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel, sparking a mini trade war that saw retaliatory tariffs lobbed right back across the border.
At the time, then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dismissed Trump’s power plays, stating that Canada was never “going to happen” as America’s 51st state.
Now, with Mark Carney — former Bank of Canada governor — recently elected prime minister on April 28, the tone hasn’t changed much. In his early statements, Carney stood firm:
Canada is “never [going to be] for sale.”
No official confirmation
But Trump, never known for backing down from a hard “no,” seems to be reupping the pressure with this latest “Golden Dome” twist.
According to Trump’s own words, “Canada are reportedly ‘considering the offer.’”
But there’s no official confirmation from Ottawa, and political analysts across both nations are largely treating the idea as political theater — albeit theater with high stakes. Still, the message is clear: Trump is willing to barter national security and economic incentives in exchange for one of the boldest geopolitical moves in modern history.
Whether Canadians see statehood as a solution or a surrender is another question entirely. But if history has shown us anything, it’s that Donald Trump doesn’t offer deals without making headlines.