Trump Downgrades Trudeau as 'Governor' of the 'Great State of Canada'

Florida: President-elect Donald Trump referred to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as "Governor" in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform. This remark, made over a week after a dinner at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, seems to inaccurately suggest that Trudeau holds a position similar to the head of a U.S. state, rather than his actual role as Prime Minister of Canada.

The dinner meeting on November 30, which took place after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau flew in from Ottawa, came shortly after a warning from Donald Trump. Trump had threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian imports unless Canada took action against immigrants attempting to cross its southern border.

"It was a pleasure to have dinner the other night with Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada. I look forward to seeing the Governor again soon so that we may continue our in-depth talks on Tariffs and Trade, the results of which will be truly spectacular for all," Trump said on his X post.

In a similar incident earlier, Donald Trump jokingly suggested making Canada the "51st state" of the United States. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had argued that a 25% tariff would "kill" the Canadian economy. In response, Donald Trump jokingly suggested that Canada become the 51st state of the U.S. to avoid the tariffs. The remark reportedly caused Trudeau to laugh nervously, according to reports.

During the meeting, someone commented that making Canada a U.S. state would result in a very liberal state, which sparked more laughter. Trump played along with the joke, telling Trudeau that Canada could become two states, and if Trudeau couldn't handle his list of demands, he could become a Governor.

Canada's trade is heavily reliant on the United States, which accounts for about three-fourths of its goods and services. As a result, high tariffs would significantly damage the Canadian economy, making such measures a serious concern for Canada.

After the dinner, Trudeau described his discussion with Trump as "an excellent conversation," but avoided making any comments about tariffs or the relationship with the President-elect.

Trump also described the meeting as "very productive meeting" noting that they discussed a wide range of topics. According to Trump, the conversation touched on fentanyl, a drug posing a serious epidemic threat in the U.S., as well as illegal immigration, the trade deficit between the U.S. and Canada, and fair trade deals.