Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin has a bizarre new conspiracy theory about why President Donald Trump wants to make Canada the 51st state and it involves Elon Musk.
Raskin, a constitutional law professor, argued that if Trump brings Panama, Greenland and Canada into the United States it would require a new constitution – and that would allow Musk to run for president.
‘They want to bring in Panama. They want to bring in Greenland. They want to bring in Canada, where Elon Musk is a citizen after he left his apartheid South Africa,’ Raskin said.
‘Why? Because they believe that this new consortium will require a new constitution that would allow Elon Musk to run for president.’
Musk was born in South Africa in 1971. His mother is Canadian, which allowed him to obtain Canadian citizenship in 1989.
He moved to the United States in 1992 to attend the University of Pennsylvania. He initially entered the country on an Exchange Visitor Visa before transitioning to a work visa. He became a U.S. citizen in 2002.
The Constitution requires natural-born citizenship for presidential candidates.
But it can be amended as Raskin argues it would have to be in order for the United States to take possession of Panama, Canada and Greenland – which Trump has repeatedly said he wants to do.
Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin has a bizarre new theory on what President Donald Trump wants to make Canada the 51st state
Many Trump critics have called Musk the ‘unelected president’ due to his oversized influence on the president and the administration.
But, under Raskin’s theory, Trump would make it legally possible for Musk to win the Oval Office.
‘My friends we have got to defend America and the constitution against these people,’ Raskin pleaded in his remarks.
Charlie Kirk, a Trump ally and founder of Turning Point USA, posted video of Raskin’s remarks on X and asked for a ‘wellness check’ on the Maryland congressman.
‘Jamie Raskin is throwing out some truly bizarre conspiracy theories… He thinks Trump wants to annex Canada so that Elon Musk, who was a citizen after leaving South Africa, can then run for President. Wellness check on Jamie Raskin,’ he wrote.
‘To be called a conspiracy theorist by you is high praise!,’ Raskin replied to him.
‘Of course, your vaccine conspiracy lies put people’s lives at risk. Meantime, you have no problem with Trump taking over Canada, Greenland and Panama, but seem to know the real purpose of this deranged plan. Pray tell!’
Trump, in December before his inauguration, pushed back against the notion he has ‘ceded the presidency’ to Musk.
‘No, he’s not going to be president, that I can tell you,’ Trump said. ‘And I’m safe. You know why he can’t be? He wasn’t born in this country.’
Elon Musk has gotten close to Donald Trump since the 2024 campaign
Canada’s former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claims Trump is trying to ruin Canada’s economy in order to annex it
But Musk seems to be an outsized presence in Trump’s administration. He’s frequently in the Oval Office, he rides with Trump on Marine One and Air Force One, and he has a seat at the table in Cabinet meetings.
Additionally his DOGE department is significantly altering the size and scope of the federal government, raising questions about Musk’s qualifications and his conflicts of interest: he has millions in government contracts through his Space X corporation.
Trump has never made it completely clear why he wants Canada to be the 51st state – he’s just said repeatedly he wants it added to the United States.
He has blasted Canada as a national security threat for the amount of fentanyl that comes over its border.
He slapped a 25% tariff on Canadian aluminum and steel earlier this month, which he said he would remove when Canada slowed down the fentanyl traffic that comes over the United States’ northern border.
Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has argued Trump is trying to hurt Canada’s economy to force it to become part of the United States. It is currently a Commonwealth country, meaning it has an independent prime minister and Parliament but King Charles is its head of state.
Another theory is Trump is upset over failed Trump hotels in Toronto and Vancouver and is seeking revenge.
Others speculate its his antagonistic relationship with Trudeau that led to his desire to annex the country. Trump has repeatedly referred to the former PM as Governor Trudeau.
The Canadian and US flags fly near the Canada-US border in Blackpool, Quebec
Trump also argues Canadians would benefit from lower taxes and secure borders as part of the U.S.
But one of the reasons taxes are so high in Canada is they have a national healthcare system. If they became part of the United States, they would need to be insured or join the Obamacare exchange.
Additionally, Canada would potentially add millions more Democratic votes to the country.
Canada is a liberal-leaning nation with a population larger than California. Were it to become a state, it could mean 50 more House seats and two additional senators – which would be a significant shift in government.
‘To be honest with you, Canada only works as a state. … It would be one of the great states anyway — this would be the most incredible country,’ Trump said in the Oval Office on March 13.
‘Visually, if you look at a map, they drew an artificial line right through it, between Canada and the U.S., just a straight artificial line. Somebody did it a long time ago, many, many decades ago, and it makes no sense,’ Trump continued, apparently referring to a 1908 treaty that settled the boundary between the U.S. and Canada.
‘It’s so perfect as a great and cherished state.’
