Trump talked about the '51st state' during call with Carney: Radio-Canada sources

Laurence Martin · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 24, 2025 9:49 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

During the telephone telephone past period betwixt Donald Trump and Mark Carney, the U.S. president enactment the thought of making Canada the 51st U.S. authorities backmost connected the table, contrary to what the premier curate himself publically stated later, sources told Radio-Canada.

According to 2 Radio-Canada sources with cognition of the discussion, the contented of Canadian sovereignty was raised successful the archetypal portion of the conversation.

At the extremity of this moment, described arsenic "not easy" by 1 source, Carney said: "We'll hold to disagree connected that one."

According to Radio-Canada's sources, Trump brought up the contented of the 51st authorities during the March 28 call, explaining the advantages of Canada joining the U.S. Carney fto him talk earlier expressing his disagreement.

That contradicts what the premier curate told journalists successful a quality league aboriginal that day, erstwhile helium suggested that Trump had enactment his expansionist connection speech during the conversation. 

"The president respected Canada's sovereignty contiguous some successful his backstage and nationalist comments," Carney said connected March 28.

WATCH | Carney said Trump 'respected' Canadian sovereignty successful call: 

In a statement, a spokeswoman for the Prime Minister's Office did not contradict that Trump raised the contented of the 51st state, but denied that Carney responded with "we'll hold to disagree." 

"No, the premier curate didn't accidental this to President Trump, and helium was ever wide connected the information that the anticipation that Canada could beryllium portion of the U.S. is not connected the array and ne'er volition be."

"As we look this crisis, Prime Minister Carney is communicating his program with Canadians everyplace to combat the commercialized warfare launched by Trump," the statement, which was successful French, said further down.

These revelations travel conscionable days earlier the extremity of an predetermination run successful which the Canada-U.S. narration has emerged arsenic the ascendant contented for galore Canadians. For weeks, the Liberal person has been asserting that helium has the indispensable acquisition and is champion placed to basal up to Trump. 

"I've managed crises before," helium has repeated connected galore occasions — again connected Wednesday, erstwhile helium was successful Victoria.

Before his telephone with the American president, Carney stated that helium would lone talk with Trump if the second showed respect for Canada.

"I'm disposable for a call, but you know, we're going to speech connected our presumption arsenic a sovereign country," helium said connected March 24, the 2nd time of the predetermination campaign.

A nationalist alteration successful tone

Trump's remarks published connected Truth Social connected the time of the telephone surely signalled a alteration successful code — successful public, astatine least.

Immediately aft the call, the U.S. president described his gathering with Carney arsenic "extremely productive." And helium referred to Carney arsenic the premier curate of Canada, alternatively than "governor" as helium typically did with Justin Trudeau.

On Wednesday, Trump again complimented Carney, calling him "very nice." But helium besides again brought up the conception of Canada arsenic the 51st state.

WATCH | Trump revisits comments astir '51st state':

"I person to beryllium honest, arsenic a authorities it works great," Trump said. "Ninety-five per cent of what they bash is they bargain from america and they merchantability to us," helium said.

White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said past week the president's presumption had not changed, and Trump "believes that Canadians would payment greatly from becoming the 51st authorities of the United States of America."

Other issues discussed 

In summation to the question of the 51st state, the 2 leaders discussed different matters during the call, including the commercialized narration betwixt Canada and the U.S.

According to Radio-Canada sources, Carney projected a reappraisal of the economical and information statement betwixt the 2 countries — after the national predetermination — which Trump accepted.

"It's important for Canada not to negociate connected a piecemeal basis, conscionable successful the car assemblage for example," a root acquainted with the discussions said. "We deliberation we tin triumph much if we reappraisal everything astatine the aforesaid time. On the border, the Americans are talking astir fentanyl, but we besides person issues with weapons.

"The code of the telephone was mostly positive," the root added.

In caller weeks, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has criticized Carney's positioning, saying helium has falsely claimed helium could power Trump. On Thursday successful Halifax, asked astir this story, Poilievre said that Carney indispensable explicate what happened connected the call.

"That's a question for Mr. Carney to answer. I wasn't there. But what is wide is we volition basal up for our sovereignty. We volition ne'er beryllium an American state."

WATCH | Poilievre connected Carney-Trump call:

Bloc person Yves-François Blanchet said connected Wednesday that "we person nary accusation to the effect that Mr. Carney is surviving up to his claims arsenic a large situation manager."

Carney has agreed to talk with Trump again aft the national predetermination if his enactment wins.