Justin Trudeau meets King Charles amid Trump's Canada annexation threat

Amid US President Donald Trump’s repeated calls for Canada to become the 51st US state, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with King Charles III on Tuesday at the latter’s royal residence in Sandringham, UK.

 

  Trudeau shared a picture with the King on social media platform X, writing, “I met with His Majesty King Charles III this morning. We spoke about matters of importance to Canadians — including, above all, Canada’s sovereign and independent future.”

 

I met with His Majesty King Charles III this morning.  We spoke about matters of importance to Canadians — including, above all, Canada’s sovereign and independent future. pic.twitter.com/eVjWWiTrrr

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) March 4, 2025

Donald Trump’s annexation threat

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly suggested that Canada should join the United States as its 51st state. In December last year, he had said that he would lower taxes for Canadians and even suggested that NHL legend Wayne Gretzky should run for the Prime Minister of Canada. 

 

 

“I just left Wayne Gretzky, ‘The Great One’ as he is known in Ice Hockey circles, a message. I said, ‘Wayne, why don’t you run for Prime Minister of Canada, soon to be known as the Governor of Canada – You would win easily, you wouldn’t even have to campaign,’” Trump had posted on Truth Social.

 

Since returning to the White House for a second time, Trump has continued to make similar claims, with support from his close ally and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. However, Canada has strongly rejected Trump’s ambitions to make Canada as the 51st state of the US. 

 

On Sunday, Trudeau responded by saying, “Nothing seems more important to Canadians right now than standing up for our sovereignty and our independence as a nation.”

 

Former Canadian politician Jason Kenney also urged the government to take action, posting on X, “The Government of Canada should ask the Head of State to underscore Canadian sovereignty.” 

                        Canada’s economic concerns

 

Trump is also imposing tariffs on various countries. In response, countries on the receiving end are also imposing tariffs on the US, as did by China. Trump’s actions sparked a kind of trade war across major countries. In continuation with this trend and apart from annexation remarks, Trump’s administration has also announced a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods. The tariff is set to take effect on Tuesday, with Trump citing concerns over drug imports from Canada into the US. Mexico is also expected to be affected by the tariff plans.

 

Europe’s support for Ukraine

 

Additionally, Trudeau recently attended an emergency defence summit in Ukraine, where British Prime Minister Keir Starmer outlined plans to support Ukraine as US aid remains uncertain.

 

King Charles also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following a heated discussion between Trump and Starmer at the White House on Friday. Starmer later stated that the King was “able to assure of our strong support for Canada.”

 

King Charles’ invitation to Trump

 

Meanwhile, King Charles has extended an invitation to Donald Trump for a state visit. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the invitation as “unprecedented”. He also stressed that Britain and the US maintain “the closest of relationships” and warned that weakening this bond would be a mistake during such uncertain times.

 

With Trump’s annexation comments and tariffs causing tension, Canada continues to emphasise its sovereignty. Trudeau’s meeting with King Charles III appears to be a step towards reaffirming the nation’s independence.