President Donald Trump has stirred up controversy by declaring ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky a “free agent”, further escalating tensions with Canada. The USA and Canada recently clashed in the inaugural 4 Nations, which also included Finland and Sweden.
Ultimately, Canada triumphed over the USA, avenging their earlier defeat in the group stage. Both matches were heated, with Trump adding fuel to the fire. Before the first game, Trump threatened Canada with tariffs, misnamed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “Governor Trudeau”, and referred to Canada as the U.S.’s 51st state.
This led to the U.S. national anthem being booed at their group stage game, which saw three fights break out within the first nine seconds.
For the final, Canada appointed NHL icon Gretzky as an honorary captain. However, Gretzky refrained from showing overt support for Canada and even gave a thumbs-up to the US players during the 4 Nations finale in Boston.
Gretzky had previously attended Trump’s victory party at Mar-a-Lago following his win in the 2024 US Presidential Election, where he sported a MAGA hat. After the 4 Nations final, Trump announced that he was making Gretzky a “free agent” in terms of his allegiance, while taking another jab at Trudeau by once again referring to him as “Governor Justin Trudeau”.
On his platform Truth Social, Trump gushed: “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.
Trump has previously suggested Canada should form part of the U.S. (
AFP via Getty Images)
“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.!”.
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