U.S. President Donald Trump is voicing his assist for hockey legend Wayne Gretzky whereas suggesting the previous NHLer is not eager on the thought of Canada turning into the 51st state.
Gretzky has drawn the ire of some Canadians in current weeks resulting from his affiliation with Trump, who has threatened Canada with steep tariffs and talked about making the nation the “51st state” whereas mockingly referring to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “governor.”
Trump took to his social media platform, Reality Social, on Wednesday to say Gretzky is a proud Canadian.
Wayne Gretzky is a incredible man! They name him, “The Nice One,” and he’s. He may run for any political workplace in Canada, and win. Wayne is my good friend, and he needs to make me completely satisfied, and is subsequently considerably “low key” about Canada remaining a separate Nation, somewhat than…
“Wayne is my good friend, and he needs to make me completely satisfied, and is subsequently considerably ‘low key’ about Canada remaining a separate nation, somewhat than turning into a cherished and delightful 51st State,” the president wrote.
“Wayne and Janet, his great spouse, love Canada, and they need to solely assist Canada, and no matter else makes the Canadian Individuals, and Governor Justin Trudeau, completely satisfied.”
Other than being the NHL’s all-time factors chief, Gretzky helped Canada to victory over the Soviet Union in 1987 and chosen the 2002 Canadian group that beat the U.S. for gold within the Salt Lake Metropolis Olympics.
However the Nice One’s affiliation with the president — he attended Trump’s inauguration and his election evening get together — has rubbed some Canadians the flawed approach.
Columnist Bruce Arthur says Canada’s alternative of Wayne Gretzky as honorary captain appeared oddly disconnected from the present second.
The anger appeared to return to a head throughout the closing recreation of the NHL’s 4 Nations match, the place Gretzky was launched as Canada’s honourary captain.
TSN reporter Dave Naylor known as out Gretzky’s affiliation with the U.S. president in a post on X.
“Simply going to state this matter-of-factly … the honorary captain for Canada on this recreation publicly helps a political chief whose place is that Canada mustn’t exist as a nation,” he wrote.
Freelance hockey author Ken Campbell mentioned selecting Gretzky was “tone deaf,” whereas College of Ottawa professor Thomas Juneau mentioned it was a “lousy choice.”
In his put up on Wednesday, Trump appeared to concentrate on a few of the resentment towards Gretzky.
“He is the best Canadian of all of them, and I’m subsequently making him a ‘free agent,’ as a result of I do not need anybody in Canada to say something dangerous about him,” the president wrote.
“He helps Canada the best way it’s, as he ought to, although it is not practically pretty much as good because it could possibly be as a part of the best and strongest nation on the planet.”
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