Hundreds of thousands of Canadians have signed a petition calling for Elon Musk’s citizenship to be revoked.
President Donald Trump and Musk have repeatedly taken shots at the U.S. ally, refusing to call Prime Minister Justin Trudeau his proper title and claiming the sovereign country will become part of the U.S. Musk was born in South Africa and currently serves as an adviser to Trump while being the richest man in the world.
Musk obtained Canadian citizenship through his mother, Maye Musk, who lived in Canada before moving to South Africa. He also has U.S. citizenship.
The petition, signed by over 240,000 Canadians, says that “Musk has engaged in activities that go against the national interest of Canada” by becoming a member of a foreign government “that is attempting to erase Canadian sovereignty.”
In response to the petition, Musk wrote on the social media platform X, which he owns, that “Canada is not a real country.”
“The attempts of Elon Musk to attack Canadian sovereignty must be addressed,” the petition reads.
Trump has rocked the boat with the U.S.-Canada friendship, which dates back hundreds of years and has said he would use “economic force” to make Canada the U.S.’s 51st state. The White House has said those comments should not be dismissed.
Canadians have grown increasingly frustrated with the U.S.’s newfound hostility toward the nation. Some Canadians have canceled their planned vacations in the U.S. to boycott the U.S. economy. During professional sporting events between Canadian and American teams, the U.S. national anthem has been booed over the last few weeks.
In the face of Trump’s tariff threats, Canadian grocery stores have made a point of marking which products are made in Canada and which products are made in the U.S.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT TRUMP’S TARIFF THREAT AGAINST MEXICO AND CANADA
“Now is the time to choose products made right here in Canada,” Trudeau said. “Check the labels. Let’s do our part. Wherever we can, choose Canada.
The petition is still mostly symbolic and has no official standing. Canadian citizenship can only be taken away if someone has committed fraud, misrepresented themselves, or knowingly hid information on an immigration or citizenship application, according to Politico.