Trump says Gretzky supports Canada remaining an independent country

Darren Major · CBC News

· Posted: Feb 26, 2025 7:51 PM EST | Last Updated: February 27

U.S. President Donald Trump is voicing his enactment for hockey fable Wayne Gretzky portion suggesting the erstwhile NHLer isn't keen connected the thought of Canada becoming the 51st state.

Gretzky has drawn the ire of immoderate Canadians successful caller weeks owed to his affiliation with Trump, who has threatened Canada with steep tariffs and talked astir making the state the "51st state" portion mockingly referring to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arsenic "governor."

Trump took to his societal media platform, Truth Social, connected Wednesday to accidental Gretzky is simply a arrogant Canadian.

"Wayne is my friend, and helium wants to marque maine happy, and is truthful somewhat 'low key' astir Canada remaining a abstracted country, alternatively than becoming a cherished and beauteous 51st State," the president wrote.

"Wayne and Janet, his fantastic wife, emotion Canada, and they should lone enactment Canada, and immoderate other makes the Canadian People, and Governor Justin Trudeau, happy."

Apart from being the NHL's all-time points leader, Gretzky helped Canada to triumph implicit the Soviet Union successful 1987 and selected the 2002 Canadian squad that bushed the U.S. for golden successful the Salt Lake City Olympics.

But the Great One's relation with the president — helium attended Trump's inauguration and his predetermination nighttime enactment — has rubbed immoderate Canadians the incorrect way.

WATCH | Why are Canadians aggravated astatine Wayne Gretzky aft 4 Nations Face-Off?: 

The choler toward Gretzky appeared to travel to a caput during the last crippled of the NHL's 4 Nations tournament, wherever helium was introduced arsenic Canada's honourary captain.

TSN newsman Dave Naylor called retired Gretzky's affiliation with the U.S. president successful a post connected X.

"Just going to authorities this matter-of-factly … the honorary skipper for Canada successful this crippled publically supports a governmental person whose presumption is that Canada should not beryllium arsenic a nation," helium wrote.

Freelance hockey writer Ken Campbell said choosing Gretzky was "tone deaf," portion University of Ottawa prof Thomas Juneau said it was a "lousy choice."

Gretzky's woman says comments person 'broken his heart'

In his station connected Wednesday, Trump seemed to beryllium alert of immoderate of the resentment toward Gretzky.

"He's the top Canadian of them all, and I americium truthful making him a 'free agent,' due to the fact that I don't privation anyone successful Canada to accidental thing atrocious astir him," the president wrote.

"He supports Canada the mode it is, arsenic helium should, adjacent though it's not astir arsenic bully arsenic it could beryllium arsenic portion of the top and astir almighty state successful the world."

Janet Jones Gretzky, Wayne's wife, said Thursday successful an Instagram station that immoderate of the disapproval was having an interaction connected her husband.

"I person ne'er met anyone who is much arrogant to beryllium a Canadian and it has breached his bosom to work and spot the mean comments," she wrote.

"He would bash thing to marque Canadians proud, with his emotion for hockey and his country."

Her comments were shared alongside a photo of a letter written by Bobby Orr, different Canadian hockey legend, successful defence of Gretzky. The aforesaid missive was antecedently published successful the Toronto Sun.

Orr's commentary addressed Gretzky's quality astatine the 4 Nations tournament, but suggested that the ire toward the Great One was owed him not wearing a Canada jersey astatine the game. Orr — who publically endorsed Trump successful 2020 — didn't explicitly notation the president, but did interaction connected the authorities of the moment.

"We each person our idiosyncratic beliefs arsenic they pertain to things specified arsenic religion and politics. Wayne respects your close to specified beliefs — wherefore can't you respect his?" Orr asked readers.