Washington, February 22 (RHC)-- U.S. President Donald Trump has said that Canada can keep its national anthem when it joins the United States.  The comment came at the Republican Governors Association meeting in Washington, DC.

Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of absorbing Canada, citing its dependence on the United States.  ”We’ll have to work out some deal ... because I do like the ‘O Canada’ all right,” Trump said, referring to the anthem.  “It’s a beautiful thing.  I think we’re going to have to keep it for the 51st state.”

Ottawa has consistently dismissed the idea of the country being absorbed into the U.S., with outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau describing Trump’s idea as a “non-starter.”

“Canada is going to have to pay tariffs on automobiles, lumber, oil and gas, etc., they get 95% of their product from the United States.  I think they’ll have to become the 51st state,” the US President has argued.

In response to the joke, Canadian singer Chantal Kreviazuk changed the anthem’s lyrics from “in all of us command” to “that only us command” while performing during a men’s ice hockey game between the U.S. and Canada on Thursday.  The ‘true north’ defeated Team USA 3-2 in overtime.

Earlier this month, Ottawa imposed 25% tariffs on U.S. goods in retaliation for Washington’s levies on all Canadian produce that had been introduced over concerns regarding illegal immigration and drug trafficking.  Faced with a looming trade war, Washington and Ottawa have agreed to delay the implementation of the tariffs until March 4th.

Trump has also previously argued that Canada would struggle to remain viable without receiving hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies from Washington, as well as military protection from the United States.