“He wants to make me happy”: Donald Trump makes a cryptic post, defends Wayne Gretzky amid backlash from Canadians

President Donald Trump publicly endorsed hockey great Wayne Gretzky while suggesting the former NHL great is opposed to Canada becoming the 51st state. Gretzky has been accused by some Canadians of being allied with Trump, who has called for high tariffs against Canada before and made jests about Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling him a "governor." Trump spoke on the issue Wednesday on his social media site, Truth Social, saying that despite any controversy over it, Gretzky is still a proud Canadian.

Donald Trump publicly defended Wayne Gretzky amid ongoing backlash

U.S. President Donald Trump came to the defense of hockey great Wayne Gretzky when the Hall of Famer came under fire for his perceived endorsement of Trump. Gretzky, who acted as honorary captain for Team Canada in the 4 Nations hockey tournament final, was booed during the proceedings because of his previous connection with Trump.

Gretzky has attended Trump's 2024 election night reception as well as his inauguration last January. Trump has before described Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the "governor" of what he referred to as America's "51st state" and even jokingly mentioned that Gretzky might play the role himself.


“Wayne Gretzky is a fantastic guy! They call him, ‘The Great One,’ and he is. He could run for any political office in Canada, and win. Wayne is my friend, and he wants to make me happy, and is therefore somewhat “low key” about Canada remaining a separate Country, rather than becoming a cherished and beautiful 51st State, paying much Lower Taxes, a Free and Powerful Military, NO TARIFFS, and having a Booming Economy,” the President wrote.

He added, “Wayne and Janet, his wonderful wife, love Canada, and they should only support Canada, and whatever else makes the Canadian People, and Governor Justin Trudeau, happy. He’s the Greatest Canadian of them all, and I am therefore making him a “free agent,” because I don’t want anyone in Canada to say anything bad about him. He supports Canada the way it is, as he should, even though it’s not nearly as good as it could be as part of the Greatest and Most Powerful Country in the World, the Good Ole’ U.S.A.!”

Also Read: “He snubbed them”: Don Cherry critiques Wayne Gretzky's honorary captain role amid Donald Trump’s tariff dispute at 4 Nations Face-Off finals

Wayne Gretzky, the NHL's all-time points champion, has played a huge part in Canadian hockey lore, helping Canada defeat the Soviet Union in 1987 and leading the 2002 Olympic team that beat the U.S. to claim gold in Salt Lake City. But his ties to Donald Trump, having attended both Trump's inauguration and election party, are unpopular with some Canadians who resent his political ties.