The secretary of commerce insists that Canada joins the United States: 'The best way to merge the economies'
Howard Lutnick said this in dialogue with Fox Business Network, where he also defended the Trump administration's reciprocal tariffs.
Lutnick in the Oval Office/ Jim Watson
Howard Lutnick harped on the idea of Canada becoming part of the United States. Just days after Justin Trudeau's departure as Canadian prime minister, who was replaced by Mark Carney, the secretary of commerce spoke to Fox Business Network and expressed his views on the economic situation of his northern neighbor.
During his appearance on Varney & Co., Lutnick was specifically asked about the best way to harmonize economic relations between the two countries.
"The best way, the president has said it, the best way to actually merge the economies of Canada and the United States is for Canada to become our 51st state. If they want to merge it, that’s how you make it the 51st state," the secretary of commerce responded.
">“The president is here to protect American workers. He’s here to protect American industry.” Let’s bring manufacturing back to America for the health of our economy and the strength of our national security. The Trump Administration is ending outdated trade policies that ripped… pic.twitter.com/hJdognDZH7
— Howard Lutnick (@howardlutnick) March 12, 2025
In turn, Lutnick defended the Trump administration's reciprocal tariffs, specifically those weighing on industries strategic to U.S. "national security."
"We can't be in a war and rely on steel and aluminum from some other country. I mean, it's just not reasonable. So the president wants steel and aluminum in America. And let me be clear, nothing's going to stop that until we've got a big, strong, domestic steel and aluminum capability. And by the way, he's going to add copper to that mix, too. So just remember, national security rises above all other things," the official said.
"People get lost in this stuff. We must have steel and aluminum. We must have semiconductors. We need to have cars and automobiles. We need to make these things in America. We need to make pharmaceuticals in America. The president has called them out because he knows these things are vital to be made in America," he added.
Finally, Lutnick anticipated that Canada will have an election in no more than three weeks. According to the latest polls, the favorite is the conservative Pierre Poilievre, which would mark the end of ten years of Trudeau's party in power.
Under the Canadian system, 172 out of 343 in the House of Commons are needed to form a government. In this case, conservatives would need to add 52 seats to return to power.
Lutnick dispersed rumors of alleged internal grievances against him
"White House and administration officials, as well as Trump’s outside allies, are growing increasingly frustrated with Lutnick, privately complaining about the close proximity he has to the president and the counsel he is giving him on economic issues," the media outlet noted.
In an interview with Fox Business Network, the secretary of commerce completely rejected this information. "I am, indeed, helping him execute his policy. The economic team is one. We're doing it together. We understand what he wants to achieve. He wants to bring manufacturing back to America," he said.
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