Donald Trump reveals the political role he really wants NHL legend Wayne Gretzky to win in Canada
Could Wayne Gretzky follow in the footsteps of sports greats George Weah and Imran Khan by becoming a world leader?
President-elect Donald Trump is encouraging the NHL legend to run for the highest office in his native Canada, though not necessarily as prime minister.
In his speech after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his intention to resign, Trump again hinted that he hoped America’s northern neighbor would become the 51st state on Tuesday.
“I have a lot of good friends,” Trump, 78, told a crowd at Mar-a-Lago. ‘One of them is the ‘Great’. I said, ‘Run for the Prime Minister and you will win… It will take two seconds.’
“He said, ‘Well, am I going to run for Prime Minister or Governor? Just tell me,” Trump continued.
“I said, ‘I don’t know, let’s make it governor.’ I like that better.”
President-elect Donald Trump is encouraging the NHL legend to run for the highest office in his native Canada, though not necessarily as Prime Minister
Three-time Stanley Cup champion Wayne Gretzky speaks during a state funeral for the late former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney at Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal
Famous for the U.S. trade deficit with Canada, Trump previously suggested the country’s 10 provinces and three territories should become the 51st state. He even tweeted about the idea on Christmas Day, pitching Gretzky as a potential “Governor of Canada.”
“You would win easily, you wouldn’t have to campaign,” Trump wrote in his Truth Social post.
Unfortunately, according to Trump, Gretzky did not seem eager to become Prime Minister or Governor of Canada.
“He wasn’t interested, but I think the people of Canada should start a DRAFT WAYNE GRETZKY movement,” Trump added. “It would be so fun to watch!”
Although he delivered a eulogy for former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney at a state funeral in Montreal last March, Gretzky has shunned politics since he was criticized by his compatriots for supporting then-US President George Bush’s 2002 invasion of Iraq.
Eventually, a “U$ Lackey” sign was hung on a Gretzky statue in Edmonton, where the NHL’s all-time leading scorer won three Stanley Cups before trading to the Los Angeles Kings in 1989.
Trump previously mentioned Gretzky as a potential prime minister, while again suggesting Canada join the US
Gretzky’s wife Janet Jones also posted an older photo of him with a beaming Donald Trump
Gretzky attended Trump’s election victory party at Mar-a-Lago, where the two golf enthusiasts and their families celebrated together.
Janet Jones, Gretzky’s longtime wife, shared a photo of her husband with Trump on social media, which seemed to irritate liberal hockey fans.
“You really have to question anyone’s ethics and logic supporting someone like Trump,” one user wrote.
“Apparently there is an inverse relationship between hockey skills and intelligence,” added another.
One said: “There are few things on earth as embarrassing as Canadian maga weirdos.”
Gretzky was one of many sports stars who supported Trump during the election campaign.
He joined 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, retired Packers quarterback Brett Favre and former NASCAR driver Danica Patrick in backing Trump to defeat Vice President Kamala Harris.