While celebrating Canada’s 3-2 overtime victory against team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off final on Thursday night, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took a shot at President Donald Trump, reveling in the geopolitical pleasure of victory.
Late Thursday night, Trudeau responded to Trump’s mudslinging by posting on X, “You can’t take our country — and you can’t take our game.” Trump has often referred to Canada as the 51st state of the United States and gave team USA a pep talk before Thursday’s game.
Even while nobody outside the stadium wanted to talk about the geopolitical issues between the two nations, Trump and Trudeau made it plain that the game meant more than just ice hockey.
According to Trump’s social media post on Thursday, “I’ll be calling our GREAT American Hockey Team this morning to spur them on towards victory tonight against Canada,” referring to the country that has lower taxes and stronger security. Trump also mentioned that Canada could become the Fifty First State someday, maybe soon, with these improvements.
In the first goal, Nathan Mackinnon of the Canadians beat American goaltender Connor Hellebuyck with a shot that somehow went in. Brady Tkachuk and Jake Sanderson, two American players for the NHL squad in Ottawa, scored midway through the first period to put the United States ahead 2-1.
The United States took an early lead, but Canada equalized less than 10 minutes later. Until overtime, everything remained the same. At that moment, the puck was slid past Hellebuyck by Connor McDavid, who is generally considered the finest player in the NHL.
Canada-United States rivalry in ice hockey has been continuing strong for decades, but it has taken a new turn this year due to Trump’s persistent and repeated taunting of his northern neighbor. The two teams squared off last weekend in Montreal, when the national anthem was booed by Canadian supporters and three fights broke out in the first nine seconds of the game. That game was won by the Americans, 3-1.
At Thursday’s Boston game, during the playing of the Canadian national song “O Canada,” there were a few boos and “USA” shouts, but the enthusiastic applause from the sold-out crowd soon overpowered them.
Along with threats of annexation, the president has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Canada, a longtime friend. However, these duties have been put on hold for one month as Canada has committed to address Trump’s worries about the influx of fentanyl into the US from the north. Quebec supplies 60% of the United States’ aluminum, therefore the tariffs would hit them very hard.
“To Canada, if you guys don’t win, the tariffs are even higher,” quipped Vice President JD Vance at CPAC before Thursday’s game.
The Canadian hockey team may take pride in maintaining the status quo about tariffs for the time being.