U.S. President Donald Trump is suggesting his pal Wayne Gretzky isn’t too eager on Canada changing into America’s 51st state, however says the 2 will stay nice pals regardless of not seeing eye to eye on the matter.
In a put up on Fact Social, the social media platform owned by Trump, the president stated he’s involved about Canadians turning on “the Great One” over their friendship — a response to final week’s backlash over Gretzky’s perceived slights to Canada on the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey remaining.
“Wayne is my good friend, and he desires to make me completely satisfied, and is due to this fact considerably ‘low key’ about Canada remaining a separate Nation, relatively than changing into a cherished and delightful 51st State, paying a lot Decrease Taxes, a Free and Highly effective Army, NO TARIFFS, and having a Booming Economic system,” Trump posted.
Trump wrote he would again down on his solutions that Gretzky develop into Canada’s “governor” — an idea he’s floated a number of instances in current months, each earlier than and after Justin Trudeau introduced his plan to resign as prime minister.
FILE – Donald Trump shakes palms with former NHL star Wayne Gretzky earlier than leaving The Barclays at Plainfield Nation Membership in Edison, N.J.
Wealthy Graessle/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire through Getty Pictures
“Wayne and Janet, his fantastic spouse, love Canada, and they need to solely help Canada, and no matter else makes the Canadian Folks, and Governor Justin Trudeau, completely satisfied. He’s the Best Canadian of all of them, and I’m due to this fact making him a ‘free agent,’ as a result of I don’t need anybody in Canada to say something dangerous about him.”
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Gretzky courted controversy final week when he was named Workforce Canada’s honorary captain on the 4 Nations Face-Off remaining between Canada and the U.S.
The previous Edmonton Oiler, and arguably the best hockey participant of all time, stepped onto the ice for the pregame ceremony at TD Backyard subsequent to the U.S. bench and as he walked previous was seen giving a thumbs as much as the American gamers. In distinction, viewers at house observed he didn’t do a lot to acknowledge the Canadian staff in entrance of the cameras.
Followers additionally observed that, in contrast to his honorary U.S. captain counterpart Mike Eruizone, who scored the well-known game-winning objective towards the Soviets within the 1980 Olympics and wore a U.S. jersey to Thursday night time’s festivities, Gretzky didn’t put on a Canada jersey forward of the matchup, sticking with a blue go well with, vest and tie as an alternative.
(L-R) Auston Matthews No. 34 of Workforce United States, honorary captains Mike Eruzione of Workforce United States and Wayne Gretzky of Workforce Canada and Sidney Crosby No. 87 of Workforce Canada pose for a photograph at centre ice throughout pregame ceremonies earlier than the 4 Nations Face-Off championship recreation between Workforce Canada and Workforce United States at TD Backyard on Feb. 20, 2025 in Boston.
Brian Babineau/4NFO/World Cup of Hockey through Getty Pictures
He has been criticized in Canada for supporting Trump, together with attending his election night time social gathering and inauguration. Gretzky, 64, has not publicly mentioned Trump’s annexation speak or Canada’s sovereignty.
Former NHL participant Wayne Gretzky and his spouse Janet Jones search for on the rotunda dome previous to the Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump on the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Jan. 20, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque / Pool / AFP through Getty Pictures
Trump has been taking jabs at Canadian lawmakers about making the country the “51st state” and the 78-year-old revealed that he had requested Gretzky to develop into the “governor of Canada” following a Christmas Day go to late final yr.
“I simply left Wayne Gretzky, ‘The Nice One’ as he’s recognized in ice-hockey circles,” Trump posted on Fact Social on Dec. 25.
“I stated, ‘Wayne, why don’t you run for prime minister of Canada, quickly to be often known as the governor of Canada — you’d win simply, you wouldn’t even need to marketing campaign.’ He had no curiosity.”
Trump reiterated the comments two weeks later, telling reporters at Mar-a-Lago he had a plan for Trudeau’s successor.
“I used to be with Wayne Gretzky. I stated, ‘Wayne, would you prefer to be the governor of Canada?’ I can’t think about anyone doing higher than Wayne,” Trump stated on the time.
In Edmonton, the place Gretzky grew to become a legend, some followers are petitioning to change the name of Wayne Gretzky Drive. The road was renamed in 1999 to honour his 4 Stanley Cups with the Oilers.
As of Thursday, the petition had gathered greater than 10,000 signatures.
— With recordsdata from The Canadian Press
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