Canadian Defence Minister Says Trump’s 51st State Talk Not a ‘Real Threat’

“I do not believe that that represents a real threat to us,” Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair told reporters.

Minister of National Defence Bill Blair participates in a question and answer period at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute conference on NORAD Modernization, in Ottawa, on May 1, 2024. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang

Defence Minister Bill Blair said U.S. President Donald Trump’s talk of making Canada the 51st U.S. state is “concerning” but that it doesn’t pose a “real threat.”

“I do not believe that that represents a real threat to us,” Blair told reporters in Brussels on Feb. 12. Blair is in the Belgian capital to attend meetings of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group and NATO.