Fox News’ Jesse Watters mentioned his “imperial thirst” while discussing his growing desire to take control of Canada.
Tucker Carson’s replacement mentioned the concept on Tuesday after it was repeatedly raised by Donald Trump.
Watters, 46, first raised it on The Five, hours after an off-the-rails press conference by the newly elected president, where the idea of ”economically” annexing the US neighbor to the north was doubled down on.
The country is currently in the midst of a historic inflation and housing crisis, prompting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resign a day early.
While some took the conservative commentator’s comments as a joke, he called them more serious during primetime, emphasizing that it would be “a privilege to be adopted by the US.”
Flanked by four fellow panellists on his 5pm show, a particularly animated Watters began explaining his conqueror’s mentality.
“Canada – at first I wanted it, and I tried to divide it into two states,” he began, before adding, “And then I realized we were going to add Montana, actually for the Republicans, and electorally like Texas. for the Democrats.
“And I don’t like that,” the co-host said, making the comments while grimacing. He continued, “But the fact that they don’t want us to take them over makes me want to invade. I want to quench my imperialist thirst.’
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Fox News’ Jesse Watters mentioned his “imperial thirst” while discussing his growing desire to take control of Canada on Tuesday
Tucker Carson’s replacement first mentioned the concept on The Five, in his capacity as cohost
Although the latter claim was apparently said in jest, the host mentioned the idea more seriously a few hours later on the set of his eponymous program.
“What’s your problem with the United States taking over Canada?” Watters asked a visiting Doug Ford, the current Premier of Ontario.
Ford, a member of his country’s Progressive-Conservative Party, responded by portraying Trump as an overzealous “real estate mogul” who has failed to capture public opinion.
“I love America, I love Americans, and I understand,” Ford, now joining Watters from a distance, told the conservative.
“You know, President-elect Trump is a real estate mogul, he’s made billions,” he continued. “But that property is not for sale.”
Seemingly unfazed, Watters reiterated that “everything has a price.”
Ford, in turn, conceded that the two countries could “come together through a major trade deal,” but no further.
In another apparent olive branch, the politician stated that there is “not a single American” he has met who has a problem with Canada.
While some took his comments as a joke, he again called them more serious during primetime to Ontario Premier Doug Ford, emphasizing that it would be “a privilege to be adopted by the US.” The politician who has ruled the province since 2017 appeared to disagree
Earlier in the day, Donald Trump shocked the world when he once again hinted at absorbing the country into the US
Watters — who stepped into the 8 p.m. hour following the ousting of longtime mentor Tucker Carlson — has since embraced the idea and pushed it repeatedly in both of his time slots.
Watters, in the hallowed 8 p.m. time slot once manned by his old mentor, became more aggressive from then on.
‘I see. You say Americans don’t have a problem with Canadians and we don’t talk, but it seems like you have a problem with us,” he argued.
“For if I were a citizen of another country and a neighbor of the United States, I would consider it a privilege to be adopted by the United States of America.
“That’s what everyone in the world wants: American citizenship. For some reason that’s disgusting to you Canadians, and I personally find that insulting, Prime Minister.”
Ford, who was also a businessman like Trump in the 1990s, did not seem to respond too kindly to Watters’ comments, but did not press further.
“Well, you know something, Jesse…. “We are proud Canadians, just as there are proud Americans,” he said.
Instead of putting forward the idea of strengthening the alliance the countries currently have, the Prime Minister claimed, “Nobody (could) stop us.”
Watters will weigh Ford’s interests on another issue: the split of Greenland’s ownership.
The day before, Canada’s prime minister succumbed to political pressure caused by rampant inflation and an unprecedented housing crisis, resigning after ten years in office.
The next day, in response to Trump’s renewed comments, the politician turned to X to bash the idea
Just hours earlier, Trump refused to rule out using the military to take control of the country and the Panama Canal.
The ice-covered landmass, which is packed with resources, is currently a territory of Denmark.
To that, a visibly amused Ford simply replied, “No. We’re doing well.’
Earlier in the day, a newly resigned Trudeau tweeted: “There is no chance of Canada becoming part of the United States.”
Commenting on Trump’s recently broadcast conference call, the soon-to-be ex-Leader of the Liberal Party claimed that “workers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each other’s largest trading and security partners.”