Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a business gathering on Friday that US President Donald Trump’s threat to annex Canada “is a real thing,” two Canadian business leaders who were at the meeting confirmed to CNN.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday said President Donald Trump’s talk of making Canada the 51st U.S. state is “a real thing” and is linked to the country’s rich natural resources, local media reported.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told executives gathered at an economic summit on Friday that he believes US President Donald Trump’s desire to annex the northern nation “is a real thing” due to its abundance of critical minerals.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday said U.S. President Donald Trump's talk about absorbing Canada "is a real thing" and is linked to the country's rich natural resources, a government source said.