Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has rejected US President-elect Donald Trump’s claim that he could use “economic force” to make Canada the 51st US state.

“There is no way Canada will become part of the United States.”

Workers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each other’s largest trading and security partners, Trudeau said in a statement to X.

Earlier, Canadian Foreign Minister Melania Joly said Trump’s comments “show a complete misunderstanding of what makes Canada a strong country,” adding that Canada “will never bow to threats.”