Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday said President Donald Trump’s talk of making Canada the 51st U.S. state is “a real thing” and is linked to the country’s rich natural resources, local media reported.

Trump had suggested repeatedly, both in posts on his social media platform Truth Social and in remarks to reporters, that Canada could become a US state instead to avoid the tariffs. He has also referred to the country's prime minister as "Governor Trudeau".

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.