Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a business gathering on Friday that US President Donald Trump’s threat to annex Canada “is a real thing,” two Canadian business leaders who were at the meeting confirmed to CNN.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in a talk with business leaders, said Canada’s wealth of critical minerals are behind Mr. Trump’s comments about making its northern neighbor a U.S. state.

Canada's outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has told a group of business leaders he believes President Donald Trump might be serious about annexing his country. Trudeau suggested Trump has floated the idea of taking over Canada and making it the "51st state" because he wants to access the country's critical minerals.