In a week marked by geopolitical surprises, leaders of Canada and Mexico responded firmly to provocative proposals from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who floated ideas ranging from renaming the Gulf of Mexico to annexing Canada as the 51st U.S. state. Both nations dismissed the suggestions, emphasizing their sovereignty and historic identity.
Mexico: Proposes “Mexican America”
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday humorously suggested renaming the North American region “Mexican America,” citing a 17th-century map that referred to the continent by the same name. The comment came as a riposte to Trump’s pledge to rename the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America.”
“Mexican America, that sounds nice,” Sheinbaum quipped during a press conference where she presented historical maps alongside former culture minister José Alfonso Suárez del Real. The maps, dating back to 1607, depicted the continent under its historic nomenclature.
“The fact is that Mexican America is recognized since the 17th century as the name for the whole northern part of the (American) continent,” Suárez del Real explained, underscoring the Gulf of Mexico’s centuries-old recognition in maritime navigation.
Sheinbaum also rebutted Trump’s claims that Mexico is controlled by cartels. “In Mexico, the people are in charge,” she asserted, while expressing cautious optimism about future relations with the U.S. “President Trump has his way of communicating, but I think there will be a good relationship.”
Canada: Trudeau Dismisses Statehood Proposal
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dismissed Trump’s suggestion that Canada could become the 51st U.S. state. Trump had proposed using “economic force” to bring Canada under U.S. control, claiming the two nations’ shared trade and security ties made integration logical.
“There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States,” Trudeau said in a post on X. Highlighting the mutual benefits of trade and security partnerships, he firmly rejected any threat of tariffs or economic coercion.
Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly added that Trump’s comments showed “a complete lack of understanding” of Canada’s identity and strength. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre echoed the sentiment, declaring, “Canada will never be the 51st state. Period. We are a great and independent country.”
Trump’s Expansive Agenda
Trump’s remarks were part of a broader expansionist agenda unveiled earlier this week, which included discussions on potentially taking control of Greenland and the Panama Canal. At a press conference in Mar-a-Lago, he defended his vision of reshaping North American borders, calling them “artificially drawn lines.”
The comments have sparked international debate, with critics accusing Trump of undermining diplomatic relations with North America’s closest allies. Despite the rhetoric, both Mexico and Canada remain committed to maintaining cooperative, if cautious, ties with the incoming administration.
As Trump’s inauguration nears, North America faces an uncertain future defined by the push and pull of historical identity and modern geopolitics. For now, Mexico and Canada appear united in rejecting any efforts to redraw the map of the continent—or its history.
