Hockey matches between Canada and the U.S. are typically a tense affair, but President Donald Trump is pouring more fuel on the fireplace ahead of Thursday night’s 4 Nations Face-Off final.
Trump fired one other slapshot at Canada Thursday morning, suggesting yet again that Canada should grow to be the “fifty first state” and calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “Governor.”
“I’ll be calling our GREAT American Hockey Team this morning to spur them on towards victory tonight against Canada, which with FAR LOWER TAXES AND MUCH STRONGER SECURITY, will someday, perhaps soon, grow to be our cherished, and really vital, Fifty First State,” he posted on his Truth Social platform early Thursday.
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@realDonaldTrump/ Truth Social
He confirmed he would “sadly” not give you the option to attend the sport, but goaded Canada ahead of the grudge match.
“But we’ll all be watching, and if Governor Trudeau would love to hitch us, he could be most welcome,” Trump said.
It’s the most recent in a recent series of digs Trump has made about Canada joining the U.S.; before Trudeau announced his resignation in early January, Trump referred to him as “Governor Trudeau” on multiple occasions.
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Canada brushed it off at first, reacting as if Trump should be joking, and Trudeau said flatly that Canada would never be the 51st state. Trudeau more recently suggested behind closed doors that Trump’s sustained annexation calls will not be just light talk and seem like “an actual thing.”
The U.S. beat Canada 3-1 on Saturday in Montreal within the preliminary round following a chaotic start that included three fights in the primary nine seconds.
United States’ Brady Tkachuk (top) fights Canada’s Sam Bennett (9) during first-period 4 Nations Face-Off hockey motion in Montreal on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025.
Christinne Muschi / The Canadian Press
That was preceded by loud boos from many fans on the Bell Centre for the American national anthem — continuing a trend of jeers for The Star-Spangled Banner at NHL and NBA arenas across the country in recent weeks in apparent response to Trump — before a stirring rendition of O Canada from the gang.
Bill Guerin, the final manager for Team USA, acknowledged the stress between the 2 hockey teams, and the countries typically, crediting Trump’s talk of tariffs and making Canada a component of the U.S. for ratcheting up the intensity of the teams’ first matchup.
“I believe there was somewhat little bit of a political flare to it. It’s just the time that we’re in,” Guerin said last weekend.
The players, nevertheless, are steering clear of politics ahead of Thursday’s final.
“I’m excited to play in a giant game on the largest stage with a gaggle that has come together really, really quickly,” Canadian superstar and Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid said.
U.S. and Toronto Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews had an analogous response.
“We’re just focused on playing,” he said. “All these things happening outside of it, I don’t really have an excessive amount of.”
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