The 51st State
I know it seems like a joke. But it's not.
Donald Trump keeps referring to Canada as the 51st state. He has been very open about wanting to take over Canada and force this entire other country to become part of America.
Why is he saying this and thinking this? Who knows what’s going on in his fucked up brain, but several possibilities come to mind. He’s watching Russia attempt to do this to Ukraine, and wants to follow their example. He thinks being an aggressor on this scale would make him seem more manly. He sees Canada successfully existing and progressing as a country, and wants to claim their successes and resources for himself. He wants to see what he can get away with. He wants an opportunity to threaten another country — and really the world — with nuclear destruction. He has dementia. He’s a bully and thinks Canada won’t stand up to him.
The whole idea of America taking over Canada feels incomprehensible to most Americans (and I assume to most Canadians). It makes no sense. Why are we bothering Canada? They are literally our biggest trading partners, which means we have a mutually beneficial existence. We have had a good working relationship for the entire memory of anyone currently living. We’ve been allies in the World Wars.
It makes no sense on practical terms either. America doesn’t properly feed, house, and educate our own population. Why would we want to suddenly become responsible for an entire other nation?
And most importantly, it completely ignores the reality that Canada would resist this — that Canadians don’t want to become the 51st state — and that making any maneuvers toward this would result in war and a massive loss of life. Mentions of the 51st state ignore the reality that it wouldn’t be a fight with America against Canada, it would be a fight with America against Canada-and-all-their-allies. Allies that have historically been long-time friends of America, but who can’t and won’t and shouldn’t support America colonizing Canada.