WASHINGTON, D.C. – The White House said Tuesday that Canadians would benefit if the nation of 40 million joined the U.S. as its 51st state.

Trump has been goading Canadian officials about the prospect of joining the U.S. for months and Tuesday once again said Canada should become part of the U.S. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt repeated Trump’s comments Tuesday afternoon during a news briefing, the door was open for Canada to join the U.S.

“He believes that Canadians would benefit greatly from becoming the 51st state of the United States of America,” she said.

She said joining the U.S. would mean lower costs and better protection for Canadians.

“The president has made it clear that he believes Canadians would be better served economically, militarily, if they were to become the 51st state of the United States of America,” she said Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, Trump made a similar pitch, even suggesting Canadians could keep their national anthem as a state song.

“The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State. This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear. Canadians’ taxes will be very substantially reduced, they will be more secure, militarily and otherwise, than ever before, there would no longer be a Northern Border problem, and the greatest and most powerful nation in the World will be bigger, better and stronger than ever – And Canada will be a big part of that,” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. “The artificial line of separation drawn many years ago will finally disappear, and we will have the safest and most beautiful Nation anywhere in the World – And your brilliant anthem, ‘O Canada,’ will continue to play, but now representing a GREAT and POWERFUL STATE within the greatest Nation that the World has ever seen!”

Trump’s comments Tuesday were similar to remarks he’s made in the past about Canada joining the U.S. Canadian officials say that won’t happen. Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada would never become part of the U.S.

Incoming Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has struck a similar tone on the issue, saying Canada “never, ever, will be part of America in any way, shape, or form.”

“The Americans want our resources, our water, our land, our country … if they succeed, they will destroy our way of life,” Carney said during an acceptance speech on Sunday.