The repeated assertions by President-elect Donald Trump that Canada should join the United States have become a staple of his presidential transition, mirroring his own breezy confidence in the ease and popularity of such a move. However, this sentiment, much like Trump’s unbridled confidence, is not without its precedents in American history. Such talk has been a recurring theme throughout the nation’s past, often bolstered by the misconception that Canadians themselves were eager for the merger. Much like Thomas Jefferson’s casual declaration during the War of 1812 that ‘the acquisition of Canada this year, as far as the neighborhood of Quebec, will be a mere matter of marching,’ the reality was far from simple. Misjudging the Canadian public’s reaction, many Americans assumed that they would welcome American forces with open arms. Now, with Trump taking to social media to claim ‘many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State,’ it’s clear that such ideas remain as naive as they are persistent. Canadian public opinion polls illustrate a distinct political culture vastly different from that of the United States, suggesting that Trump’s simplistic vision for a seamless union is far more complex in reality.