Has Donald Trump Already Annexed Canada? The Hidden Power of Meaning in the 2025 Canadian Election
Trump hasn’t officially annexed Canada, but his influence over its political narrative, especially during the 2025 election, is undeniable. This article explores how Trump dominates global meaning, why it matters, and most importantly, how we can and must regain control of our narrative.
Donald Trump has suggested annexing Canada and Greenland, but has he already done it?
Let me tell you a quick story.
The question posed by a Canadian executive I recently spoke with, a brilliant strategist deeply respected in both public and private sectors, resonates deeply: “Do you think we even have a national identity anymore, or are we just America’s polite shadow?” This query, in essence, reflects the profound impact of Trump’s influence on our national narrative.
That question stuck with me.
No tanks have rolled across the border, and no treaties have been signed in secret. Yet, on Monday, April 28th, 2025, Canada elected a new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, a Liberal candidate who, by all traditional logic, had no business winning.
The Liberals were 20 points underwater in the polls. Everyone was betting on a conservative landslide. This unexpected victory underscores the influence of Trump’s narrative control.
So, how did it happen?
You already know the answer: President Donald J. Trump.
In ways far more powerful than bullets or ballots, Trump has done something even more strategic. In his own words, from a recent interview with The Atlantic:
“I run the country and the world.”
Wild? Maybe. True? More than you’d think.
Has Donald Trump Annexed Canada Already?
Let’s get one thing straight: Trump hasn’t drawn new maps. He’s redrawn reality.
In the lead-up to the Canadian general election, the headlines weren’t asking what policies mattered most. They asked which candidate was most like Trump, or better yet, which candidate could stand up to Trump.
The actual issues? Second-tier.
From British Columbia to Newfoundland, the undercurrent of conversation was not, “What kind of Canada do we want?” but “What kind of Canada will survive Trump?”
This diversion of focus from local issues to Trump’s influence underscores the extent of his control over the narrative.
And that’s how he wins…By owning the conversation. The frame. The narrative. The meaning.
Trump’s power lies not in policy but in his ability to hijack national conversations. In Canada and Australia, elections have become more about Trump than local leadership.
The Meaning War: How Trump Hijacked the Narrative
Forget tariffs and tweets for a second. Trump’s true power is meta.
He doesn’t just make moves. He makes everyone else move in response to him. Even his silence is deafening because people rush to fill the vacuum.
Case in Point: Canada
- Liberal candidate Mark Carney was down 20 points.
- The conservative front-runner was touted as a “Canadian Trump.”
- The election became a referendum on Trumpism, not Canadian policy.
And Now? Australia’s Up Next
With their recent general election, the script feels eerily familiar. One candidate was touted as “Trump-adjacent,” the other as the anti-Trump. And the actual people? They were not voting on policy but on proximity to power.
Wherever you go, Trump’s ghost looms.
Chaos Is the Strategy
Trump isn’t just a master of attention. He’s a maestro of chaos.
His every move sends the public and press into a tailspin. That spinning is the point. The psychological overload, the cultural ADHD, the way we can’t hold focus—it’s not a bug. It’s a feature!
Because here’s the thing:
When humans are in a state of cognitive overload, their ability to engage in higher-order thinking becomes impaired.
And what do we do? We seek comfort. We reach for what feels strong. Familiar. Loud.
So, while the rest of us run around like pinballs in his machine, Trump stays rooted. Chaotic, yes. But consistent.
He owns the eye of the storm. That’s the annexation.
Trump’s influence isn’t about territory—it’s about owning the story. He doesn’t govern with laws but with meaning. When he controls the narrative, he controls perception.
Donald Trump Has Suggested Annexing Canada and Greenland, But Has He Already Done It?
Short answer: yes. Just not in the way you think.
And not by brute force, but by mastering something few leaders even recognize as a weapon: meaning.
Trump isn’t playing the same game. While most leaders are optimizing for votes, GDP, or approval ratings, Trump is optimizing for control over the story.
The Canadian election wasn’t about Mark Carney or Pierre Poilievre. It was about Trump.
The Australian election was not about their candidates.
It was about Trump!
When you control the narrative, you control the meaning. And when you control meaning, you control minds.
What Happens When Meaning Is Outsourced?
So, let’s flip the mirror. It’s not just Trump’s fault.
He didn’t seize control of global meaning. We handed it to him.
Because:
- We love simplicity.
- We hate uncertainty.
- And Trump, loved or loathed, delivers clarity wrapped in boldness.
That mix is addictive. However, here’s the catch: when we relinquish our own narrative, we relinquish our power.
Canada’s path forward isn’t about opposing Trump but redefining its identity. This is a call to unity, purpose, and meaning, which are the keys to reclaiming our sovereignty and shaping our own narrative.
If I Were Guiding Mark Carney…
I greatly respect Mark Carney and his approach to the current political situation. I have the honor of advising and guiding many powerful and influential leaders; the new Canadian PM is not one of them. But if I did?
I wouldn’t ask him to take a stronger stance against Trump. That would still place Trump at the center of the frame. Instead, I’d say:
“Turn away from Trump’s rhetoric. (Some of this Carney is already doing) Turn toward the soul of Canada.”
Here’s What That Means:
- Reclaim Canadian identity. Not in opposition to America, but in affirmation of what makes Canada Canada.
- Leverage Canada’s rich regional diversity.
- Alberta: oil.
- Saskatchewan: gas and potash.
- Ontario: commerce.
- BC: Forestry and tourism.
- Atlantic Canada: tech and culture.
- All of Canada for its rare earth metals
- Unify through shared purpose.
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- Don’t let imported division strategies pit provinces against each other.
- Craft a national story that transcends fear.
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If Canada can articulate its own meaning, it breaks free from Trump’s gravitational pull.
“Divide and Conquer”
The Oldest Play in the Book
You know this one. It’s the OG of power moves!
Trump doesn’t need tanks or treaties. He needs us to turn on each other. Quebec vs Alberta. Rural vs urban. Liberals vs conservatives. Indigenous vs settlers.
The more fractured the culture, the easier the conquest!
And not just in Canada. Watch what happens next in:
- Australia
- The UK
- The EU
He’s not annexing land. He’s annexing identity!
Trump will continue being Trump. The solution? Reclaim personal and collective meaning, anchor in purpose, and connect through shared stories and hope.
So, What Can We Do?
Here’s where the rubber meets the road.
Step 1: Accept That Trump Is Going to Trump
You can’t change a hurricane. You prepare for it.
He will say wild things. He will dominate headlines. He will break norms.
Let that be background noise, not your internal soundtrack.
Step 2: Reclaim Personal Meaning
You can’t control him. But you can control your story.
Ask yourself:
- What matters most to me?
- Who do I want to become?
- What kind of world do I want to help shape?
Step 3: Help Your Organization Anchor in Purpose
Trump has shown us that people will rally around a cause or a “meaning.” So, make yours matter.
- Leaders: Define a bold and clear purpose.
- Teams: unite behind more than just KPIs.
- Nations: don’t outsource identity to imported chaos.
Step 4: Turn Toward Each Other
Division is easy. Unity is work. But it’s the only antidote.
Instead of asking, “Who are you voting for?” ask, “What are you hoping for?”
Step 5: Tell Better Stories
Humans are meaning-making machines. Stories stick. Trump knows this.
So ask yourself:
- What’s the story I’m telling?
- Is it mine?
- Or is it borrowed from fear?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Did Donald Trump really say he runs the world? Yes. In a recent interview with The Atlantic, Trump stated, “I run the country and the world.”
Q: Has Trump actually annexed Canada or Greenland? No official annexation has occurred. The article refers to a psychological and narrative-based influence, not territorial.
Q: Why did Mark Carney win the Canadian election despite poor polling? Because the narrative shifted. The focus shifted from party policies to how each candidate’s stance on Trump influenced voter behavior, leading to unpredictable outcomes.
Q: Is this influence dangerous? Potentially, yes. Autonomy and national clarity suffer when meaning and identity are shaped by external chaos.
The real annexation is psychological. Trump has claimed space in our meaning-making. It’s time to reclaim that space and write a story that’s ours.
Conclusion: Rewriting the Ending
So, has Donald Trump already annexed Canada?
Not by law. But by influence? In the realm of meaning?
It sure looks that way.
If we’re not careful, we’ll wake up ten years from now asking, “WTF happened?”
But that doesn’t have to be our story.
We’re not helpless. We’re the authors of our own meaning. We can stop being the audience of Trump’s theater and start becoming the creators of our own stage.
Trump will always be Trump!
The real question is: who will we be?
Your Move
You didn’t ask for this war.
But here you are, on the front lines, whether you like it or not.
Sitting under the shadow of a narrative you didn’t write.
Trump’s influence isn’t a passing storm—it’s an invasion of meaning.
You’re not just fighting for policies or leaders.
You’re fighting for the story. Your story.
The one that shapes you, your country, your identity.
And the truth?
It’s not about who’s in power—it’s about who owns the meaning.
Who gets to define the world you live in.
So, now it’s your move—
Not to fight for power that doesn’t serve you,
But to take back the meaning that’s rightfully yours.
▶️ Pause:
Where has your focus been hijacked, without you even realizing it?
What story have you been living out that isn’t yours to tell?
▶️ Reveal:
What division have you bought into because it was wrapped in certainty?
It was never about policies. It was always about control.
▶️ Reset:
The key to breaking free lies in your Emotional Source Code™.
Not in chaos. Not in division.
But in reclaiming the narrative that’s been stolen from you.
This isn’t about resisting Trump—it’s about reclaiming your story.
And if this hits something raw, something real, don’t patch it up. Share it.
Share it with those who feel something’s deeply off but can’t articulate it.
Share it with the ones who still remember the truth, buried beneath the noise.
We don’t need more division.
We need more people who can stand in their truth, no matter the storm.
We don’t need more voices echoing chaos.
We need more people writing their own meaning.
So, ask yourself:
‘What kind of world do I want to help shape? ‘And how will I ensure my story is mine, no matter the noise?’
Reach out.
Because the revolution isn’t coming. It’s happening in your mind.
With gratitude, respect, and curiosity,
Dov…
About Dov Baron
Dov Baron Guides Organizations, Leaders, and Teams to Create Fiercely Loyal Cultures of Belonging and Facilitate Authentic Communication to Generate Spectacular Innovation.
He is the leading authority on Emotional Source Code© and the Anatomy of Meaning©. Named 5x to the Top 30 Global Leadership Gurus and twice by Inc. Magazine’s Top 100 Leadership Speakers, Dov helps leaders, icons, and teams harness their Emotional Source Code to build cultures that drive innovation, authentic connection, and fierce loyalty.
🔍 Learn more at https://DovBaron.com
🎙️ The Dov Baron Show airs Sundays and Wednesdays.
Not your typical leadership podcast—it’s an unfiltered deep dive into the minds of those redefining power and meaning.
https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-dov-baron-show/id272512829
