Trump defends Gretzky, says ‘the Great One’ wants Canada to remain Canadian

U.S. President Donald Trump is suggesting his pal Wayne Gretzky isn’t excessively keen connected Canada becoming America’s 51st state, but says the 2 volition stay large friends contempt not seeing oculus to oculus connected the matter.

In a station connected Truth Social, the societal media level owned by Trump, the president said he’s acrophobic astir Canadians turning connected “the Great One” implicit their friendship — a effect to past week’s backlash implicit Gretzky’s perceived slights to Canada astatine the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey final.

“Wayne is my friend, and helium wants to marque maine happy, and is truthful somewhat ‘low key’ astir Canada remaining a abstracted Country, alternatively than becoming a cherished and beauteous 51st State, paying overmuch Lower Taxes, a Free and Powerful Military, NO TARIFFS, and having a Booming Economy,” Trump posted.

Trump wrote helium would backmost down connected his suggestions that Gretzky go Canada’s “governor” — an idea he’s floated respective times successful caller months, some earlier and aft Justin Trudeau announced his program to resign arsenic premier minister.

“Wayne and Janet, his fantastic wife, emotion Canada, and they should lone enactment Canada, and immoderate other makes the Canadian People, and Governor Justin Trudeau, happy. He’s the Greatest Canadian of them all, and I americium truthful making him a ‘free agent,’ due to the fact that I don’t privation anyone successful Canada to accidental thing atrocious astir him.”

Gretzky courted controversy past week erstwhile helium was named Team Canada’s honorary skipper astatine the 4 Nations Face-Off last betwixt Canada and the U.S.

The erstwhile Edmonton Oiler, and arguably the top hockey subordinate of each time, stepped onto the crystal for the pregame ceremonial astatine TD Garden adjacent to the U.S. seat and arsenic helium walked past was seen giving a thumbs up to the American players. In contrast, viewers astatine location noticed helium didn’t bash overmuch to admit the Canadian squad successful beforehand of the cameras.

Fans besides noticed that, dissimilar his honorary U.S. skipper counterpart Mike Eruizone, who scored the celebrated game-winning extremity against the Soviets successful the 1980 Olympics and wore a U.S. jersey to Thursday night’s festivities, Gretzky failed to deterioration a Canada jersey up of the matchup, sticking with a bluish suit, vest and necktie instead.

He has been criticized successful Canada for supporting Trump, including attending his predetermination nighttime enactment and inauguration. Gretzky, 64, has not publically discussed Trump’s annexation speech oregon Canada’s sovereignty.

Trump has been taking jabs astatine Canadian lawmakers astir making the state the “51st state” and the 78-year-old revealed that helium had asked Gretzky to go the “governor of Canada” pursuing a Christmas Day sojourn precocious past year.

“I conscionable near Wayne Gretzky, ‘The Great One’ arsenic helium is known successful ice-hockey circles,” Trump posted connected Truth Social connected Dec. 25.

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“I said, ‘Wayne, wherefore don’t you tally for premier curate of Canada, soon to beryllium known arsenic the politician of Canada — you would triumph easily, you wouldn’t adjacent person to campaign.’ He had nary interest.”

Trump reiterated the comments 2 weeks later, telling reporters astatine Mar-a-Lago helium had a program for Trudeau’s successor.

“I was with Wayne Gretzky. I said, ‘Wayne, would you similar to beryllium the politician of Canada?’ I can’t ideate anybody doing amended than Wayne,” Trump said astatine the time.

Meanwhile, Gretzky’s wife, Janet, has come to her husband’s defence.

On Thursday, she posted a convey you to legendary Boston Bruins defenceman Bobby Orr for his enactment of her husband, sharing a photograph to Instagram of a weekend op-ed Orr wrote for The Toronto Sun.

“I cannot recognize wherefore the ‘haters’ person decided to spell aft Wayne due to the fact that helium ‘didn’t deterioration a Canadian jersey’ during his instauration astatine the last match. I, for one, thought that helium looked precise dignified portion representing Canada with people and professionalism,” Orr wrote.

“Remember, this is simply a antheral who wore the Maple Leaf connected aggregate occasions with pride. As some a subordinate and administrator, helium has brought thing but glory to his homeland twelvemonth aft year, decennary aft decade.”

“Thank you Mr. Bobby Orr. Your words mean the satellite to Wayne and his family, one person ne'er met anyone who is much Proud to beryllium a Canadian and it has breached his bosom to work and spot the mean comments,” Janet wrote successful her caption.

“He would bash thing to marque Canadians Proud, with his Love for Hockey and his Country. He has ever said you are 1 of the Greatest if not the Greatest,” she continued.

In Edmonton, wherever Gretzky became a legend, immoderate fans are petitioning to alteration the sanction of Wayne Gretzky Drive. The thoroughfare was renamed successful 1999 to honour his 4 Stanley Cups with the Oilers.

As of Thursday, the petition had gathered much than 10,000 signatures.

— With files from The Canadian Press