Canada’s mens soccer coach blasts Trump’s ‘ridiculous’ comments on nation becoming 51st state

The American coach of the Canadian men’s national soccer team blasted President Donald Trump on Wednesday amid icy geopolitical tensions between the northern neighbors. The fiery rhetoric comes just as the U.S., Canada, and Mexico prepare to co-host the World Cup in 2026, with Trump’s threat of tariffs on both nations looming. 

Since winning the presidential election in November, Trump has repeatedly stated that Canada should become America’s 51st state, a thought that doesn’t sit well with Canada’s Wisconsin-born soccer coach Jesse Marsch. 

“I’d like to address the 51st state discourse, which I find unsettling and frankly insulting,” said Marsch while speaking to the press in Los Angeles earlier this week. “If I have one message to our president, it’s lay off the ridiculous rhetoric about Canada being the 51st state.”

“As an American, I’m ashamed of the arrogance and disregard that we’ve shown one of our historically oldest, strongest, and most loyal allies,” said Marsch.

The Racine, WI, native and former U.S. Men’s National team player compared the politics of his home nation to that of the country he’s now coaching. 

“Canada is a strong, independent nation that’s deep-rooted in decency,” said Marsch, who at one time was touted to take over the U.S. Men’s Soccer team. “It’s a place that values high ethics and respect, unlike the polarized, disrespectful, and often now, hate-fueled climate that’s in the US,” he said, comparing Canada and the United States. 

Trump reiterated his desire for the United States to absorb Canada during Wednesday’s inaugural cabinet meeting of his second term. 

“I say Canada should be our 51st state. It’s not fair for us to be supporting Canada, and if we don’t support them, they don’t subsist as a nation,” Trump said, flanked by his cabinet appointees and special government employee Elon Musk. 

On Thursday morning, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to blast both Canada and Mexico. “Drugs are still pouring into our Country from Mexico and Canada at very high and unacceptable levels,” he wrote. 

While U.S. Customs officials intercepted 20,000 pounds of fentanyl at the Mexican border in 2024, only 43 pounds of fentanyl were intercepted at the Canadian border last year, according to an NBC News analysis of U.S. Customs and Border Protection data.

Also included in Trump’s social media post was a deadline for his looming tariffs on Canada and Mexico.  “The proposed TARIFFS scheduled to go into effect on MARCH FOURTH will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled,” wrote Trump. 

During his cabinet meeting earlier this week, Trump outlined the crippling effects his tariffs will have on Canada. “The tariffs will make it impossible for them to sell cars into the United States. The tariffs will make it impossible for them to sell lumber or anything else into the United States,” said Trump of how tariffs will affect Canada. 

Since Trump’s pugilistic tone toward Canada has taken shape, the tension between the longtime allies has boiled over into the world of sports. Canadian fans have repeatedly booed the American national anthem at NBA and NHL games. That trend continued on February 15th when the U.S. and Canada’s hockey teams faced off in an international hockey tournament in Montreal, where three fights broke out in the first nine seconds of the game between the players on the ice. 

“These international tournaments for Canada means something different now,” acknowledged Marsch. 

The most highly watched international tournament in all of sports is just over a year and a half away. The World Cup, which will be hosted between the United States, Canada, and Mexico, could see the host nations play each other in the knockout rounds amid the backdrop of unprecedented geopolitical dynamics.