An upcoming book authored by a prominent royal commentator says U.S. President Donald Trump was primarily interested in annexing Canadian territory just above the U.S.-Canada border — and his respect for King Charles may have quashed that goal.
The book, titled Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story, is written by British journalist Robert Hardman and is being serialized in the Daily Mail. It’s a profile of the late former Queen, who Trump speaks glowingly about, and touches upon King Charles’s reign.
An excerpt provided to CBC News includes conversations between Hardman and the president where Trump brought up his interest in taking over Greenland.
“I replied that this would probably destroy NATO and, while we were on the subject, could he please leave Canada alone too,” Hardman wrote. The two men spoke in December last year in Florida.
“It had been a staunch ally through history, a gallant D-Day partner and attempting to acquire it would undoubtedly make the King of Canada unhappy,” Hardman added.
According to Hardman’s recounting of the conversation, Trump paused at that note and asked the British journalist whether Canada still recognized King Charles as its head of state.
“Do they still recognize the King? Or have they stopped that?” Trump said, according to Hardman.
When Hardman told Trump that King Charles is indeed Canada’s head of state, the U.S. president said Canada has “terrible politicians” and that most Canadians live just above the U.S. border.
“The problem is some guy drew that straight line to make a border. He should just have drawn it fifty miles further north and then there wouldn’t be a problem,” Trump said, according to Hardman.
Trump says he would use ‘economic force’ on Canada, not military
But Trump conceded that he probably couldn’t deal with Canada — and its long history — in the three-and-a-half years he had left in office.
“This was the closest I had heard to an acknowledgement that, as long as Canada had the King, Mr. Trump was not going to usurp him,” Hardman wrote.
Hardman added: “There could be no doubting the esteem in which the late Queen was held by Mr. Trump. He had also voiced the highest praise for her son and heir, who appeared to be the primary reason why he was no longer sabre-rattling at Canada.”
CBC News has reached out to the Prime Minister’s Office and the White House for comment.
The president’s admiration of the British monarchy is well-known, and has been leveraged by the British government in the past — including during a state visit in September last year, where Trump was officially greeted by King Charles.
The Canadian government has also used its connection to King Charles to ward off Trump’s threats. Last May, the King delivered the speech from the throne, which set out the Liberal government’s agenda for the new Parliament.
It was the third time the monarch delivered Canada’s throne speech. In his remarks, the King noted “as the [Canadian] anthem reminds us: The True North is indeed strong and free!”
‘The True North is, indeed, strong and free,’ says King Charles in throne speech
The King has announced he’ll travel to the United States in late April. It’s a state visit that comes as Trump clashes with the United Kingdom (and NATO allies at large) over their decision to limit support for the U.S. and Israel’s war against Iran.
Over his second term in office, Trump’s threats toward Canada have become less frequent, and less severe. What were once significant musings about using “economic force” to absorb Canada have since turned into jabs at the prime minister by calling him “Governor Carney.”
Trump’s latest threat toward Canada came last month, where he said on social media he was working with the governor of Michigan to “save The Great Lakes” from the “destructive Asian Carp” taking over Lake Michigan.
“I’ll be asking other Governors to join into this fight, including those of Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, New York and, of course, the future Governor of Canada, Mark Carney, who I know will be happy to contribute to this worthy cause,” Trump said.
