AP Photo/Evan Vucci
In a Christmas Day message, past and future president Donald Trump said he urged Wayne Gretzky to run for prime minister of Canada.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that he talked with the legendary hockey player and Canadian icon, telling Gretzky he could easily win a national election.
He also said Gretzky could become "Governor of Canada" — an apparent reference to his joke that the northern neighbor could become the 51st state in the United States of America.
"I just left Wayne Gretzky, 'The Great One' as he is known in Ice Hockey circles," Trump wrote in a Wednesday afternoon Truth Social post. "I said, 'Wayne, why don't you run for Prime Minister of Canada, soon to be known as the Governor of Canada - You would win easily, you wouldn't even have to campaign.'"
Gretzky wasn't interested in running, Trump said.
"He had no interest, but I think the people of Canada should start a DRAFT WAYNE GRETZKY Movement," Trump wrote. "It would be so much fun to watch!"
A representative for Gretzky didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
In his next presidential term, Trump has said that he would impose tariffs on imported goods from Canada that would make American importers pay 25% more.
Trump's account posted on Truth Social nearly 40 times on Wednesday, mostly articles from conservative media outlets supporting his policies. He also named Kevin Marino Cabrera, a Republican official in Florida who worked for Trump's 2020 campaign, as his choice for ambassador to Panama. Over the past week, Trump has threatened to retake control of the Panama Canal.
The president-elect's support for Gretzky — a dual US-Canadian citizen — comes as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could be on the brink of losing power.
Trudeau's Liberal Party remains in power through a coalition with the New Democratic Party in the country's parliament. Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the New Democratic Party, said he would call for a "no confidence" vote in January, costing the Liberals their majority and triggering a new election. Canada is also scheduled to have a federal election in October 2025.
Gretzky and his family visited Mar-a-Lago shortly after Trump's November electoral victory. In one photo posted to Instagram by a Trump Organization executive, Gretzky is wearing a white-and-gold "Make America Great Again" cap.
In the past, Gretzky has occasionally supported members of Canada's Conservative party, which polls show is leading Trudeau's Liberal party.
