US President Donald Trump has sparked a new debate with his latest statement about Canada and the status of King Charles ahead of the British monarch’s long-awaited trip to the US.
Trump surprised people with his question, asking if Canada has ‘ceased’ to recognize King Charles as their head of state, while confirming he will not pursue an invasion of the country.
The 79-year-old appears to be backing away from his repeated threats to absorb Canada as America’s “51st state.”
Speaking to royal biographer Robert Hardman for his forthcoming book on Elizabeth II, the US president acknowledged that Canada’s two centuries of nationhood made annexation unrealistic within his remaining term.
“I guess Canadians have 200 years of history and all that ‘Oh, Canada,'” President Trump said.
He continued: “You can’t do that in three and a half years. It’s not going to happen!”
The latest claims represent a notable retreat from his earlier provocations against Ottawa, when he had repeatedly taunted Justin Trudeau, Canada’s former prime minister, with claims that Canadians would benefit from reduced taxes and superior military protection under American rule.
Following his threats, the president even shared an AI-generated image in January depicting Canada overlaid with the American flag during an Oval Office scene.
When Hardman urged the president “to leave Canada alone,” noting that it would “no doubt make the King of Canada unhappy.”
According to Hardman, whose interview with the US president was published in Mailasked Trump: “Do they still recognize the king? Or have they stopped it?”
When the royal writer confirmed that Canadians recognize the king as their head of state, the US president joked: “But they have these terrible politicians. They’re nice to my face and then they say bad things behind my back.”
The president described King Charles as a “fantastic guy”, expressing particular admiration for how the monarch has dealt with his cancer diagnosis.
“He’s a great guy and he’s grown so much over the last 10 years and especially over the last few years as king. His fight has shown that,” President Trump noted.
The king, 77, and his wife, Queen Camilla, 78, have announced they will visit the US later this month, with their itinerary including an address to a joint session of Congress and a state banquet held at the White House.
