Why is Trump so obsessed with Canada?
Post Reports
The Washington Post
4.4 • 5.1K Ratings
🗓️ 24 March 2025
⏱️ 22 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Whether you consider it an odd joke, a national security threat or a negotiating tactic, Trump’s mentions of the United States annexing Canada have become a sticking point for the president, and a mystery to everyone else.
And, check out The Post’s coverage of second lady Usha Vance’s trip to Greenland, which comes as Trump vows to acquire the island “one way or another.”
Today’s show was produced by Ariel Plotnick with help from Emma Talkoff. It was edited by Maggie Penman and mixed by Sean Carter.
Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | In the past few weeks, Trump has been talking a lot about Canada. |
| 0:07.9 | He wants to make it the 51st state. |
| 0:11.9 | He brought this up in an interview with Laura Ingram last week. |
| 0:15.0 | And here's my problem with Canada. |
| 0:17.2 | Canada was meant to be the 51st state. |
| 0:20.8 | As well as in the Oval Office, like this moment a couple weeks ago. |
| 0:24.4 | And to be honest, with you, Canada only works as a state. |
| 0:27.2 | We don't need anything they have. |
| 0:30.0 | As a state, it would be one of the great states anyway. |
| 0:32.9 | This would be the most incredible country visually. |
| 0:36.0 | I like to imagine Canada as Regina George in that meme from mean girls, asking Trump, |
| 0:41.8 | why are you so obsessed with me? |
| 0:47.2 | Here at the Post, we've got a team of reporters who've been trying to figure this out, |
| 0:51.9 | including our very own Martine Powers. |
| 0:55.2 | We're not hearing this from any other politician or Republican politician in America, right? |
| 1:02.2 | Like, this is not part of the MAGA platform. |
| 1:05.5 | This is not a thing that Trump voters say that they want. |
| 1:09.0 | No one is talking about this except for President Trump. |
| 1:13.2 | That's right, everyone. |
| 1:14.4 | Martine is back. |
| 1:15.9 | But today, she's sitting across from me in the guest seat, |
| 1:19.3 | bringing us her reporting on Trump's obsession with Canada. |
... |
Transcript will be available on the free plan in -7 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from The Washington Post, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of The Washington Post and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.