Trump imposes steel and aluminium tariffs, as he doubles down on plan to make Canada 51st state of America

9 February 2025, 20:49 | Updated: 9 February 2025, 22:36

Donald Trump has repeated his desire to make Canada the '51st State', announced 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium, and named today 'Gulf of America' day.

Donald Trump has repeated his desire to make Canada the '51st State'.

In an interview with Fox News, he said: "I think Canada would be much better off.

"We lose $200bn a year with Canada. And I'm not going to let that happen. It's too much.

"Why are we paying $200bn a year essentially in subsidy to Canada? Now, if they are a 51st state, I don't mind doing it."

The president announced that he will introduce 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium on imports into the US.

The tariffs will take effect immediately.

Trump has also signed a proclamation declaring 9th February 2015 as the first 'Gulf of America' day.

Renaming the Gulf of Mexico was one of his first executive orders in this presidency.

Trump has said today that he trusts tech giant Elon Musk, and will allow him to investigate 'hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse' in the US military.

The X owner is leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut costs, including sacking federal workers, cutting programmes and cutting deferral regulations.

In an interview with Fox News' chief political anchor, Bret Baier, Trump said: "I've had great help with Elon Musk. He's been terrific."

There have been suggestions that Musk's investigation into the military could pose a threat to the US's national security.

When asked if Musk could be trusted, Trump replied: "Trust Elon? He's not gaining anything."In fact, I wonder how he can devote the time to it - he's so into it.

"But I told him do that and then I'm going to tell him very soon - maybe in the next 24 hours - to go check the Department for Education. He's going to find the same thing.

"Then I'm going to go to the military - let's check the military. We're going to find billions, hundreds of billions of dollars of fraud and abuse.

"You know, the people elected me on that."

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It was recently announced that US Homeland Security secretary, Kristi Noem, will work with Musk to improve efficiency.

In an interview on CNN's "State of the Union" programme, she said: "We're working with them at the president's direction to find what we can do to make our department much more efficient.

"So this is essentially an audit of the federal government, which is very powerful."

Earlier today, Donald Trump confirmed that he has spoken to Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine.

The president has vowed to bring an end to the war in Ukraine but is yet to set out his plans to do so.

He said last week that the war had become a bloodbath, adding that his team had "very constructive talks" on the matter.

When asked how many times he had spoken to Putin about the war on Friday, Trump said he had "better not say".

"[Putin] wants to see people stop dying," he said while aboard Air Force One.

He said he had "always had a good relationship with Putin".