JD Vance Ripped After Claiming Cringey Gaffe About Canada During Speech Was A 'Freudian Slip'

As trade war tensions escalate between the United States and Canada, Vice President JD Vance is facing criticism after referring to Canada as a "state."

Vance's remark followed the collapse of Canada-U.S. negotiations over a new trade agreement before a midnight Friday deadline. President Donald Trump threatened to impose a 50% tariff on Canadian vehicles starting in 2027.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has already pledged to respond with dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs to the new 50% U.S. tariff on roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian goods that took effect over the weekend.

Vance defended the Trump administration during an appearance in Maine, saying Canada has been unfair:

"Canada and China have been the two worst countries when it comes to trade policy anywhere in the world. What a shame that is. China you of course suspect. They're our biggest economic competitor. I would expect that from China."

"I would not expect that from Canada. We have to remember, Canada is a state."

He caught himself and said:

"Sorry, Freudian slip. That was actually an accident. Canada is a country that has underinvested in its military that quite literally would get invaded by a foreign country were it not for the umbrella of protection provided by the United States of America.”

You can hear what he said in the video below.

But Vance's explanation doesn't hold water—namely because it reignites Trump's prior calls for Canada to become the "51st state."

Trump previously inflamed tensions by referring to then-Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the governor of the “great state of Canada." He also discussed the possibility of using "economic force" instead of "military force" to annex the country.

According to sources who spoke to Fox News, Trump suggested to Trudeau that if a tariff for failing to address trade and immigration issues would devastate the Canadian economy, perhaps Canada should consider becoming the 51st U.S. state.

During the exchange, Trump accused Canada of neglecting the U.S. border by allowing significant numbers of drugs and migrants, including illegal immigrants from over 70 countries, to cross into the U.S.

Now that the trade war has entered another uncertain phase, people aren't buying Vance's explanation.

It's nice to know the sovereignty of other countries is such a joke, Vance.