President Trump Thursday doubled down on his proposal that Canada could benefit from joining the U.S., saying it could be “one of our greatest states.”

Speaking with reporters in the Oval Office with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Mr. Trump said he would not “bend” on tariffs due to take effect on April 2, maintaining that the U.S. has been “ripped off” for years.

He said the U.S. cannot “subsidize” Canada and that the country doesn’t need anything that Canada provides, like cars, lumber and energy.

“We do it because we want to be helpful, but it comes a point when you just can’t do that. You have to run your own country,” he said, before saying Canada “only works as a state.”

He said adding Canada would make the U.S. “the most incredible country, visually.”

“It’s so perfect as a great and cherished state, keeping ’O’ Canada’ the national anthem. I love it. I think it’s great,” he said. “Keep it, but it would be for the state, one of our greatest states, maybe our greatest state.”

He said “there’ll be a little disruption” from the tariffs, but “it won’t be very long.”

“But they need us, we really don’t need them,” he said. “We have to do this. I’m sorry. We have to do this.”

Mr. Trump’s 25% reciprocal tariffs will go into effect on April 2 on multiple countries. He has flip-flopped on different tariff threats, and earlier Thursday threatened a 200% tariff if the European Union doesn’t lift its 50% tariff on American whiskey.

• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.