The president has floated the idea of expanding the country to include Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela
US President Donald Trump takes the stage to speak during a rally at the Horizon Events Center on January 27, 2026 in Clive, Iowa. © Getty Images / Win McNamee
[RT] US
President Donald Trump has said he plans to expand the country by
adding Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela as new states, later describing
the remarks as a joke, the Washington Post has reported, citing
eyewitnesses.
Trump reportedly made the comments at the annual
Alfalfa Club dinner on Saturday, an exclusive gathering of CEOs,
politicians, and other Washington luminaries. It was the first time he
had addressed the club, whose members include JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie
Dimon, philanthropist David Rubenstein, and outgoing Federal Reserve
chairman Jerome H. Powell, according to the newspaper.
“So many people in the room I hate. Most of you I like,” Trump told the audience. He added that he might cut his speech short to watch the “invasion of Greenland,” before adding: “We’re not going to invade Greenland. We’re going to buy it.”
“It’s never been my intention to make Greenland the 51st state. I want to make Canada the 51st state. Greenland will be the 52nd state. Venezuela can be 53rd,” Trump quipped.
Trump has repeatedly made
acquiring Greenland a policy objective, arguing that the autonomous
Danish island’s strategic location and resources are crucial to US
security. He has also claimed that Denmark is too weak to defend it from
a supposed Russian or Chinese threat – a charge dismissed as
implausible by Copenhagen, Moscow, and Beijing.
Last year, Trump said Canada would be better off as the “cherished” 51st state of the United States, repeatedly referring to Canadian prime ministers as “governors.”
He argued this was the only way to resolve trade disputes between the
two countries. More recently, Trump threatened a 100% tariff on Canadian
goods if Ottawa pursues closer trade ties with China.
In
Venezuela, the US conducted a military raid in early January that
captured President Nicolas Maduro and brought him to New York to face
charges. Washington has since demanded “total access” to the country’s oil sector.
Speaking during a cabinet meeting last week, Trump said his administration was “getting along really well” with Venezuela’s interim leadership and confirmed that major US oil companies were scouting new projects in the country.