Donald Trump torn apart on CNN by Bernie Sanders in devastating blow

United States Senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders has issued a scathing response to US President Donald Trump’s claims that Canada should join. The 83-year-old also claimed the country is “boycotting” USA goods following the introduction of heavy item tariffs.

Last month, Trump, 78, claimed Canada could avoid higher taxes if it became the 51st state of America. The remark was made in retaliation to Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford, who threatened to “shut off electricity completely” amid the ongoing tariff war.

Calling the move an “abusive threat” the Republican stated: “The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State. This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear.”

Meanwhile last year, Trump mocked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling him the “Governor of the Great State of Canada” in his Truth Social post. "I look forward to seeing the Governor again soon so that we may continue our in depth talks on Tariffs and Trade, the results of which will be truly spectacular for all!”

During a town hall with CNN, independent Vermont senator Sanders had his say on the slight known. “In Canada when you have a President of the United States who goes out of his way to insult the Prime Minister. He calls him governor,” he began. “’Oh by the way, you’re Canadian. We’re going to make you the 51st state’.”

Sanders also used the town hall to discuss Trump’s newly imposed tariffs. These levies, announced earlier this year, see a 25 percent duty being added to all goods imported from Mexico and Canada that are not covered under the region's USMCA trade pact, as per Reuters.

Sanders claimed in the wake of the taxes, Canadians are no longer willing to travel to America. He also explained they’d started “boycotting” US-based goods, much like residents of Mexico and others across the globe.

“There were allies. We fought World War II, defeated Nazism fighting with our friends [in the] UK, France, throughout Europe. And now they’re saying ‘What is God’s name is going on with the United States of America?’”

The politician - who previously ran for Democratic nomination in the 2016 and 2020 Presidential Elections - added that America’s goal is to be the “model for the world”.

“We want people to look at us and say ‘We want to like be like the United States not ‘Oh God, the United States. What are they doing?’.”

Yesterday (April 9), Trump back-pedalled on his tariff policy, pausing the so-called “reciprocal tariffs” for many countries across the world for 90 days, as reports CBC.

Canada and Mexico however have not had their tariffs reversed.