Donald Trump has shocked the world once more, saying that if Canada can't cope with his import tariff plans, it should consider becoming the US' 51st state, but a diplomat says he was just joking.
Image: X (Twitter)
Donald Trump's ticket to winning the US elections was his proposal of imposing import tariffs on products brought into the country.
On the election trail,Trump promised the Make America Great Again (Maga) and other prospective voters that the countries that export to the US will pay the tariffs.
However, this could not be further from the truth, as US businesses will offset the expenses by passing them to the consumers, which will make the prices hike astronomically.
In a surprising move, Trump announced that he will issue an executive order imposing a 25% tax on all imports from Canada and Mexico, as well as an extra 10% duty on goods from China, in alleged retribution for drugs and migrants entering the US illegally.
He also reportedly said that if Canada suffers from the tariffs, it should join the US and become its 51st state.
"They will pay a very big price," Trump posted on social media. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Trump in late November.
During the meeting, Trudeau protested that the tariffs would damage the Canadian economy. Trump said that Canada should become an American state if remaining concerns are not handled, according to Fox News.
The North American country is a significant supplier of crude oil and other gas products to the US.
However, a Canadian ambassador to the US said that Trump was only making a 'joke' about making Canada the US' 51st state.
The ambassador insisted that it is a good sign US president-elect feels 'comfortable' joking with Canadian officials.
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