Trump’s Joke About Buying Canada Isn’t Funny Anymore – It’s Just Insulting

Baron Trump’s recent tweet, joking that his father, former President Donald Trump, had “purchased Canada on Amazon,” might have been intended as lighthearted, but it quickly spiraled into one of those moments where the humor wore thin. Trump’s own playful response, suggesting Mexico and Panama could be next, with grandiose plans to rename cities and appoint Justin Trudeau as governor, might have landed better if it weren’t for the underlying discomfort many Canadians feel about U.S. political influence.

Trump’s running gag about buying countries – something he famously floated about Greenland during his presidency – might have been shrugged off if not for the reality that American intervention abroad often leaves a troubling legacy. Canada, already grappling with its own internal challenges, isn’t exactly eager to welcome U.S. leadership in any form. The notion of becoming a star-spangled territory, even in jest, is enough to make most Canadians bristle.

The problem isn’t just that the joke is stale. It touches on the very real anxiety that comes from watching how U.S. foreign policy has played out across the globe. From the Middle East to Latin America, the scars of American intervention are well-documented – economies gutted, healthcare systems shattered, and political stability left in ruins. For Canada, which prides itself on a more measured approach to governance and international diplomacy, the idea of falling under U.S. leadership, even hypothetically, feels more like a warning than a punchline.

At the heart of this is a fundamental truth – Canadians value their independence. The country has its issues, and yes, Trudeau’s leadership has been divisive at times. But the idea that trading one political headache for another, particularly one bearing Trump’s signature brand of chaos, would improve things is laughable at best and alarming at worst.

It’s time to retire the joke. Canada isn’t for sale – not on Amazon, not at Mar-a-Lago, and certainly not in the fever dreams of American exceptionalism.