King Charles III of the United Kingdom presided over the opening ceremony of the Canadian Parliament on the 28th, praising Canada as 'strong and free.' President Trump stated on the 27th that Canada is 'considering' his proposal that if it is willing to become the 51st state of the U.S., it could receive the 'Golden Dome' missile defense system protection for free.

In his speech, King Charles emphasized that Canada is facing a pivotal moment, where democracy, pluralism, rule of law, self-determination, and freedom are values cherished by the Canadian people. Amid enthusiastic applause, he quoted the lyrics of the Canadian national anthem, deeming Canada a 'true north, strong and free.'

Reportedly, due to Canada being a part of the Commonwealth, King Charles visited Ottawa at the invitation of Prime Minister Mark Carney. Although the support for monarchy within the Commonwealth has decreased over the years, Trump's annexation threats have reignited interest in monarchy in Canada. King Charles' speech was closely watched to see if he would subtly respond to Trump’s remarks.

According to reports, Trump mentioned on social media that Canada desires to join the Golden Dome missile defense system but would need to pay $61 billion if it remains a separate nation. He declared, 'Canada is considering this proposal!' Canada has yet to respond to Trump’s statement.