Kevin O'Leary suggests that Canadians are interested in Trump's proposal to merge

In an unexpected twist to international relations, Shark Tank star Kevin O'Leary has stepped forward as a potential dealmaker between the United States and Canada, following President-elect Donald Trump's recent suggestions about Canada becoming "our 51st State."

The Montreal-born businessman claims that Canadians are intrigued by the possibility of an economic alliance with the U.S., though not necessarily full statehood.

"Canadians over the holidays – the last two days – have been talking about this," O'Leary revealed during a Fox Business interview.

"They want to hear more."

While Trump has been publicly needling Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by referring to him as a potential "governor" of a US state, O'Leary envisions a more nuanced arrangement – an economic union that would preserve Canadian sovereignty while fostering unprecedented cooperation between the two nations, creating an even bigger global superpower.

The Kevin O'Leary Doctrine: Economic Union Without Sovereignty Surrender

Rather than full integration into the United States, Kevin O'Leary proposes a sophisticated economic partnership modeled loosely on the European Union.

"Think about the power of combining the two economies, erasing the border between Canada and the United States and putting all that resource up to the northern borders where China and Russia are knocking on the door," O'Leary explained.

His vision for the same includes a common currency, harmonized tax systems, and what he calls an "EU-like passport" that would facilitate seamless movement between the two countries. As always, Kevin O'Leary has proved his ambitious streak with a penchant for risk-taking.

The 70-year-old investor has even offered to kickstart negotiations himself, declaring, "I'm going to go to Mar-A-Lago. I'll start the narrative." O'Leary claims he has the trust of his compatriots, stating,

"The 41 million Canadians, I think most of them would trust me on this deal."

The proposal comes at a time when Canada's vast natural resources are increasingly viewed as strategic assets. As Kevin O'Leary outlined in his Instagram post, "Canada has unlimited resources, power, gas, water, lumber, unlimited everything." The potential merger would create an economic powerhouse that could better compete with global rivals and secure North American resources.

Kevin O'Leary suggests redirecting resources currently spent on managing the US-Canada border toward strengthening northern defenses:

"What if we had free trade east, west, north, south, and we put all our resources instead of squabbling on our own border between Canada and the United States and put all that money up into protecting ourselves against the Chinese and the Russians up north?"

Trump's Vision vs. Canadian Sovereignty

Trump's approach has been more direct and focused on immediate benefits to Canadians. In a Christmas Day Truth Social post, he claimed that

"if Canada was to become our 51st State, their Taxes would be cut by more than 60%."

He also promised that Canadian businesses

"would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other Country anywhere in the World."

However, Kevin O'Leary emphasizes that full integration isn't necessary to achieve these benefits.

"The Canadian public definitely don't want to give up their sovereignty, but they really want to explore this idea of an economic union," he explains.

His proposed solution – a special passport system allowing vetted citizens from both countries free movement – attempts to bridge the gap between Trump's integration proposal and Canadian desires for independence.

The discussion comes at a crucial moment in Canadian politics, with Prime Minister Trudeau's Liberal Party government reportedly "collapsing" and facing potential change by October 2025. Kevin O'Leary makes no secret of his preference for new leadership in these potential negotiations, stating bluntly, "Nobody wants Trudeau to negotiate this deal. I don't want him doing it for me."

---

Kevin O'Leary has emerged as a possible mediator between the United States and Canada after President-elect Donald Trump recently floated the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state.