Many MAGA fans online are endorsing Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary to negotiate a U.S.-Canadian economic deal following President-elect Donald Trump's threat to annex Canada.
O'Leary's proposal of an "economic union" would not give up Canada's sovereignty, but would institute free trade policies and a European Union-like passport system for citizens of both countries.
"What if we had free trade east, west, north, south, and we put all our resources instead of squabbling on our own border between Canada and the United States and put all that money up into protecting ourselves against the Chinese and the Russians up north? That all makes sense to Canadians," O'Leary wrote in an X post on Monday.
"I'm licking my chops at the opportunity of being involved because right now, we've got a leadership that's collapsing," he said in a Fox News interview ahead of a scheduled Mar-a-Lago visit with Trump. "Justin Trudeau is on his way out, so for the next five months, there's a void in Ottawa," he said. "As I like to say: Thank goodness I'm here."
O'Leary previously called Trump's joking proposal of adding Canada to the U.S. as a 51st state "a great idea," though he indicated during the interview that he's switching his tune due to feedback from Canadians about not wanting to give up sovereignty.
The digs about Canada becoming part of the U.S. were aimed at Trudeau, whose sinking approval rating has made him a regular target of Trump's Truth Social posts.
Now, MAGA fans are supporting the idea of O'Leary stepping up into a leadership role—even if it means Canada remains a sovereign state—as the latest way to stick it to liberals up north, particularly for any Americans who moved to Canada to avoid a Trump presidency.
"This would be a welcome upgrade IMO," one right-wing X account wrote, before quipping: "I’m not sure how the people who fled America for Canada after Trump’s win would feel about it."
"Imagine moving to Canada and then three months later it gets invaded by Trump," replied someone else.
And on Truth Social, some fans of Trump are similarly embracing the new pitch, if for no other reason than to get under their critics' skin.
"But then, where would the snowflakes flee to?" joked one user.
But still, not everyone is on board with the plan of bringing Canada under the same roof.
"I am not a fan of Canada joining the US, it's just another California," concluded one Truth Social poster.
Countered someone else: "I would rather annex Mexico over Canada, more hard workers, younger demographics, better climate. The southern border of Mexico would be easy to close off."
Despite the apparent trolling campaign on behalf of Trump fans, there's no indication that Trump or a future Canadian leader would be open to the proposal.
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