This Is The Country That Should Become The 51st State of America

President Trump has put forth the idea of making Canada the 51st state, buying Greenland, and taking back control of the Panama Canal.

Canada and the USA have had a strong and mutually beneficial relationship even before Canada officially became a country in 1867. Canada has ten provinces and three territories that extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's second-largest country by total area, with the world's longest coastline. There are many legitimate reasons why Canada should become the 51st state of America.

Greenland has rare earth metals, precious metals, diamonds, coal, and Uranium. However, Greenland's geography and climate make commercial mining a challenge. 90% of Greenland's GDP comes from fishing. Although Greenland has 40 ports, they're limited to receiving small ships and they only function during the Summer months. Acquiring Greenland is theoretically possible, but the U.S. would have to invest billions of dollars to create the required infrastructure to make the country viable to support commercial and military needs.

The Panama Canal is owned by Panama, but a Hong Kong - based conglomerate, Hutchison Holdings, operates two of the five ports, Balboa and Cristobal, adjacent to the canal. 21.4% of all cargo that travels through the canal is owned by China. Additional Chinese companies, both private and state-owned, have strengthened their presence in Panama through billions of dollars in investments.

Panama's strategic location in the "backyard of America," means that China views the canal is also strategic to their interest. Will America take back the canal? No. However, the U.S. will make additional investments in the canal and increase military oversight of the canal to send a message to China that the U.S. is watching everything they do in Panama.

At times, it appears that Trump may be joking. But what if he's not? What if there is a legitimate reason for making a country the 51st state of America? What country should it be?

A 51st State Isn't A Crazy Idea

It may sound crazy discussing the possibility of the USA selecting a country to become the 51st state but it's not. Here's why -- China.

Not long ago, China was viewed primarily as a regional actor with a predominant focus on events in its near abroad. In the span of a few short decades, China has established itself as a global actor. It has solidified its role as one of a small handful of countries with interests spanning the globe and the capacity to act on them. China’s presence is now felt in every corner of the world, from the South Pacific to South and Central Asia, the wider Middle East, Latin America, and points in between.

China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a strategy initiated by the People’s Republic of China that seeks to connect Asia with Africa and Europe via land and maritime networks with the aim of improving regional integration, increasing trade and stimulating economic growth.

The name?was coined in 2013?by China’s President Xi Jinping, who drew inspiration from the concept of the Silk Road established during the Han Dynasty 2,000 years ago –?an ancient network of trade routes that connected China to the Mediterranean via Eurasia for centuries. The BRI has also been referred to in the past as 'One Belt One Road'.

The BRI comprises a Silk Road Economic Belt – a trans-continental passage that links China with south east Asia, south Asia, Central Asia,?Russia?and Europe by land – and a 21st century Maritime Silk Road,?a sea route connecting China’s coastal regions with south east and south Asia, the South Pacific, the Middle East and Eastern Africa, all the way to Europe.

The initiative defines five major priorities:

• policy coordination;
• infrastructure connectivity;
• unimpeded trade;
• financial integration;
• and connecting people.

The BRI has been associated with a very large program of investments in infrastructure development for ports, roads, railways and airports, as well as power plants and telecommunications networks.

The real reason for the BRI is this - it will allow China to accelerate the movement of troops and military equipment to locations of their choosing. In addition, by controlling the power grid and data centers in the majority of countries where they've invested, China will control the flow of information.

China has also become much more aggressive to countries located in the South Pacific, raising significant concerns among America's military leaders.

You can learn more about China's expansionist activities here.

Russia is not as expansionist as China, but it continues to engage militarily with Ukraine. Russia attacked Ukraine in February 2014, and launched an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Members of NATO claim that Russian President Vladimir Putin has a desire to attack NATO countries but that is false. Russia is growing weaker economically and militarily. Russia doesn't have the ability to launch military operations against NATO.

The Country That Should Become The 51st State

The brutal truth is that China is a growing threat to many countries globally including the U.S. Every option must be on the table when dealing with China -- even making a country the 51st state of America.

At times, members of Democratic Party in Congress have pushed for Puerto Rico to be named the 51st state. Would that make sense? No, it wouldn't.

Selecting a country to become the 51st state must be based on the economic and military strategic value to the United States. When viewed through the lens of strategy, only a handful of countries truly have the ability to make America stronger economically and militarily. Africa, for example, has no countries that qualify to become the 51st state of America. The only country that comes close is Zimbabwe, formerly Rhodesia.

I'm fascinated by the fact that Africa has disappeared from the world stage even though Africa is slowly becoming the worlds leading trouble spot. Africa's population in 2024 was 1.5B. By 2050, the population will be 2.5B. Africa will have a young population with few opportunities for jobs and prosperity. The brutal truth about Africa is that when the colonists left, many countries became frozen in time. One need only to visit the countries that gained their independence to witness the lack of economic growth or stability. As Africa's population doubles, poverty, hunger, and conflict will exponentially rise. I strongly encourage the U.S. to do what's necessary to extract rare earths minerals from Africa as quickly as possible and then depart. There is no hope for Africa.

In my opinion, the following countries ranked by order of strategic value, are worth considering to become the 51st state of America if they were inclined to do so:

1. Japan: The country's location in the Pacific Ocean makes Japan arguably the most strategic country militarily to the U.S. Japan offers the USA the ability to create a buffer zone and a location upon which to stage troops, ships and weapons to confront threats from China, and protect countries such as Australia, The Philippines, Korea, etc. In addition, Japan's economic prowess across multiple industries would provide a much-needed economic boost to the USA. Japan has the third largest economy in the world. An incentive for Japan to become America's 51st state is that they're a dying country. Japan's low birth rate and aging population will lower their population to only 80 million people by 2060. Japan had a population of 129 million people in 2010.
2. Germany: The strongest country militarily and economically in Europe. The U.S. has 50,000 troops stationed in Germany, making Germany the most important military ally of America. Germany's location in Europe provides a buffer zone for keeping Russian expansion in check. Germany's economy is in decline but it still ranks as being one of the strongest economies in the world. For now. The challenge is that Germany's economy is primarily dependent upon manufacturing, and the heart of the German economy is automotive manufacturing which is struggling due to decreased exports. There is a strategic imperative for Germany to consider a closer relationship with America.
3. Australia: Australia's economy is primarily based on services and commodity exports, while its military, the Australian Defense Force (ADF), is considered a significant regional power with a growing defense budget that is projected to reach over 2% of GDP by 2033, focusing on modernizing its capabilities particularly in the Indo-Pacific region through initiatives like the AUKUS partnership for nuclear-powered submarines; this increased spending is aimed at bolstering Australia's defense capabilities against potential regional threats.?Like Japan, Australia's location is strategic for buffering China's expansion and aggression. The U.S. and Australia have a strong and collaborative relationship.

Honorable mention goes to Taiwan and Singapore. Both of these countries are strategic to America. However, China would use every economic and military tactic to prevent the U.S. from naming either country a 51st state.

Brazil is the fifth most-populous country on Earth and accounts for one-third of Latin America’s population. The nation’s burgeoning cities, huge hydroelectric and industrial complexes, mines, and fertile farmlands make it one of the world’s major economies. However, when compared to Japan and Germany, Brazil isn't as strategic to the USA.

Mexico is incredibly strategic to the USA, but its location makes it less strategic than Japan or Germany in terms of providing the USA with an increased ability to blunt China or Russia's expansionism.

Israel is America's closest and most important ally in the Middle East. Making Israel the 51st state would have little effect on China or Russia, but from a relationship and strategy point of view, an argument can be made that Israel should become a state.

What about Great Britain? Aren't they strategic? Yes and no. Great Britain is certainly a key ally of the USA, and I think very highly of the country. With the name Brittain Ladd, how could I not like Great Britain? However, incredibly poor governance, and an out of control immigration policy has weakened the country. Since the 2008 financial crisis, the UK economy has grappled with low productivity and stunted economic growth. Despite being the world’s sixth-largest economy, the UK today has an unemployment rate above 4 percent, low industrial output and a housing crisis. Add to that the policy paralysis that comes with four different prime ministers in the last four years and it is clear why the UK needs to rethink its economic position.

The brutal truth is that Germany is more strategic to the USA than the UK, because Germany is a stronger country economically and militarily. In many ways, the UK is the new "sick man of Europe" which is a phrase used by Russian Tsar Nicholas l, to describe the Ottoman Empire's weakening state in the mid-19th century. This doesn't mean that the UK can't recover from its current economic malaise but it will be a Sissyphean task to do so. I truly wish the leaders of the UK, Godspeed.

If Germany doesn't fix the issues with their economy and country, they will experience massive unemployment and unrest. Germany has failed to invest in their infrastructure and military over the last decade. Germany must invest an estimated $600B to modernize their military and education system, fix its transport networks, upgrade its power grid, and invest in new industries and technologies such as AI, to reduce the focus on manufacturing. If Germany doesn't make the right moves, they will become the "sick man of Europe" replacing the UK.

The danger to Europe and to America is that Germany and the UK are members of NATO. NATO's effectiveness as an organization will be severely impacted if Germany and the UK economies continue to weaken.

Conclusion

China's leaders have looked to the future and they know that they are a dying country. China's misguided One Child Policy has sent China's population into a death spiral; the country is short over 250 million women. Young men who want to be married will instead be left single with no one to marry and raise a family. China is a country that is becoming more aggressive at the same time it can't replace it's population.

The USA continues to threaten China with tariffs, and America has prevented China from selling cars and other products in America. Our relationship with China is eerily similar to our relationship in 1941 when America launched an oil embargo against Japan. It was the proverbial final straw for Japan. Only months after the embargo, Japan attacked Pear Harbor on December 7, 1941.

The U.S. is concerned about China's growing military and economic prowess. War Games have indicated that the U.S. would struggle to defeat China in a battle launched to defend Taiwan and countries in the South Pacific. China's investments in its military and navy dwarf the actions taken by the U.S. government and military. Will China attack Taiwan? It's becoming more likely. China's increased military exercises around Taiwan appear to be rehearsals for the forcing Taiwan to unify with China. Will the U.S. race to defend Taiwan? No. Not a chance. From a strategy and military perspective, there is nothing to gain for the U.S. in defending Taiwan militarily. It would be quite easy for China to decimate America's economy if America tries to defend Taiwan. China would simply halt all imports to the U.S. and probably Europe. Within one week, the majority of shelves in retail stores would be emptied and all inventory depleted. Prices would rise significantly, and unemployment would massively increase. It's a nightmare scenario that the U.S. won't allow to happen. Taiwan is on their own.

Even if China invades Taiwan, I anticipate that China's leaders will become desperate in the coming years -- not decades from now -- only years from now. I remain convinced that India is China's biggest threat. I'm sure China feels the same way. Companies in the U.S. and Europe are looking for an alternative to China. Vietnam is too small, and Mexico is limited in what they can do. India, due to their population and desire to become an economic superpower, is investing heavily in manufacturing and logistics. India is becoming a desired alternative to China.

I believe there is a high probability that China, likely supported by Pakistan, will attack India if China's economy begins to falter. India's nationalism may protect it economically, but it's weakening the country militarily. I'm convinced that historians will look back 20 years from now and remark that India's greatest mistake was failing to sign a military pact with America that resulted in the USA building military bases in India. I spoke with a senior member of India's military in 2024, and I asked them this question: Can India defeat China or Pakistan militarily? They replied: "At most we can hold them off for a few days but we can't beat them. We don't have the personnel, equipment or weapons for a protracted fight." It's the brutal truth.

America is 248-years-old. We are confronting changes that were considered to be science fiction just a few short years ago. AI is the new oil. AI is the new nuclear weapon. AI isn't enough. Even if the USA becomes the leader in AI, it won't protect America from military or economic threats. America must never lose their status as the worlds leading Superpower.

Entering into a strategic partnership to name Japan, Germany or Australia the 51st state is worth considering regardless of how crazy the idea may appear. It's possible that the U.S. will eventually name multiple countries as states. Will it happen? Yes, at some point, I believe it will. More importantly, I believe it should.