HAMILTON, Canada

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned that US President Donald Trump's talk annexing Canada is not just rhetoric but a serious matter tied to American interest in country's vast natural resources, a report said Friday.

According to Toronto Star, Trudeau argued during a closed-door meeting with business and union leaders that Trump's interest in Canada's critical minerals is a key motivator for making "Canada 51st state" talks.

"I suggest that not only does the Trump Administration know how many critical minerals we have but that may be even why they keep talking about absorbing us and making us the 51st state," Trudeau said in remarks that were inadvertently broadcast before staff cut the feed.

Trudeau said that Trump appears to view annexation as a viable way for the US to benefit from Canada's resource wealth, and noted that "It is a real thing."

He further emphasized the need for Canada to strengthen its own economy, and stated the importance of reducing trade barriers between provinces.

"It’s about time we had genuine free trade within Canada," he said, highlighting bureaucratic challenges that slow progress.