Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fired a pointed remark at U.S. President Donald Trump following Canada’s victory over its arch-rival, the United States, in the Four Nations Face-Off final on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
Hockey Triumph Sparks Political Shots
After Canada clinched a 3-2 win against the U.S. in an ice hockey showdown in Boston, Trudeau took to X with a jab: “You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game.” The comment was a direct retort to Trump, who earlier that day had reiterated his provocative claim that Canada should become the U.S.’s “51st state” while rallying the American hockey team to triumph.
You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 21, 2025
Trump posted on Truth Social, “I’ll be calling our GREAT American Hockey Team this morning to spur them on towards victory tonight against Canada, which with FAR LOWER TAXES AND MUCH STRONGER SECURITY, will someday, maybe soon, become our cherished, and very important, Fifty First State.” He added, “I will be speaking before the Governors tonight in D.C., and will sadly, therefore, be unable to attend. But we will all be watching, and if Governor Trudeau would like to join us, he would be most welcome. Good luck to everybody, and have a GREAT game tonight. So exciting.”
The hockey rivalry runs deep, with Canada and the U.S. facing off 20 times in best-on-best tournaments since the 1976 Canada Cup. Canada holds a 14-6 edge, while the U.S. hasn’t claimed a best-on-best title since defeating Canada in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey final.
Trump-Trudeau Tensions Escalate
Trump, who reclaimed the presidency in January 2025 after defeating Kamala Harris, has repeatedly teased Canada as a potential “51st state” and mocked Trudeau by calling him a “governor,” a jab at Canada’s sovereignty. The latest exchange follows a pattern of friction between the two leaders, intensified by Trump’s recent imposition of 25% tariffs on Canadian imports—a move that sent shockwaves through the neighboring nations’ relationship.
On February 4, 2025, Trump paused the tariffs’ implementation for 30 days after Canada pledged to bolster border security and combat the flow of drugs like Fentanyl into the U.S. This temporary reprieve came amid heightened diplomatic negotiations, reflecting the stakes beyond the ice rink.
A Game Beyond the Scoreboard
Thursday’s Four Nations Face-Off final wasn’t just a sporting event—it became a symbolic battleground for national pride and political posturing, with Trudeau’s dig underscoring Canada’s defiance against Trump’s rhetoric and policies.