Trump believes Canada would benefit from being US state

When asked whether Trump's tone on Canada-US ties has shifted in the past few weeks and he has stopped talking about Canada becoming the 51st state of the US, Leavitt responded, "I would reject the president's position on Canada has shifted, perhaps, he just hasn't been asked about Canada by questions from this group in the Oval Office when they see him almost every day. However, the president still maintains his position on Canada. The United States has been subsidising Canada's national defence, and he believes that Canadians would benefit greatly from becoming the 51st state of the United States of America." 

Trump has repeatedly said that Canada should be the 51st US state and even mocked former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the "Governor of Canada". 

When asked about Trump suggesting that automakers could be helped and whether tariff relief for automakers was part of his plan, Leavitt said she had nothing to read out but stressed that the US President is flexible when it comes to negotiations and talks and, ultimately, his goal in his fair trade deals.

Leavitt stated, "As for autos and auto parts, I don't have anything to read out for you there but I think the point the president was making is flexibility and he has flexibility when it comes to negotiations and talks but ultimately his goal in his fair trade deals that he is pursuing with many countries around the world is to put the American worker first and we had automakers and auto workers here at the White House on Liberation Day who believe in this president and his negotiating ability to put them first and to bring those jobs back to the United States of America and the president's been very clear about that in his conversations with the automakers as well." On Monday, Trump said that he was "looking" into potential part-specific tariff exemptions for carmakers and stressed that it is important to be "flexible" amid the current trade negotiations, Fox News reported. 

Trump's statement indicated potential relief for auto manufacturers after the administration moved to exempt electronic devices--such as smartphones, iPhones, and laptops--from the US President's reciprocal tariffs. -- ANI