- A petition with over 171,000 signatures is calling on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to revoke Elon Musk’s Canadian citizenship, citing alleged threats to Canadian sovereignty. While Musk has clashed with Trudeau on social media and holds a special government role in the U.S., the petition’s impact remains uncertain, as revoking his citizenship could have unforeseen political and business ramifications.
Elon Musk—a Canadian citizen—is wielding power in the highest levels of government office in the United States and north of the border some people are unhappy about it.
Tens of thousands of Canadians have signed a petition calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to revoke Musk’s citizenship in their nation, saying he is “engaging in activities that go against the national interest of Canada.” Musk’s patron, U.S. President Donald Trump, has called for trade tariffs on its northern neighbor (not to mention suggesting that maybe the country should simply be subsumed by the U.S.).
At the time of writing approximately 171,000 Canadians have signed the petition, launched on February 20. The campaign is open for signatures until June 20.
It reads: “We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Prime Minister to revoke Elon Musk’s dual citizenship status, and revoke his Canadian passport effective immediately.”
Musk, a South African–born entrepreneur, has citizenship in Canada via his mother, Maye Musk, who was born and raised in Canada. Musk also has citizenship in the U.S., which he obtained in 2002, per his biography by Walter Isaacson.
As a Canadian citizen, it took me 12 years to get US citizenship under extraordinary ability as a dietitian. I had a thick pile of references from various universities and corporations where I had given lectures. Also, letters from many doctors who had sent me patients, 20 TV… https://t.co/flQ89Gds0I
— Maye Musk (@mayemusk) January 4, 2024
As well as the national interest argument, the petition adds: “[Musk] has used his wealth and power to influence our elections. He has now become a member of a foreign government that is attempting to erase Canadian sovereignty and the attempts of Elon Musk to attack Canadian sovereignty must be addressed.”
Representatives for Musk did not respond to Fortune‘s request for comment.
Some of the opinions expressed by the petition are not technically accurate. Namely, Musk is not an elected member of President Trump’s administration—or what is referred to as a Member of Parliament in countries like Canada and the U.K.
Instead, the White House has confirmed Musk is a “special government employee,” meaning he works for the Oval Office and has constraints on his employment as a result.
Likewise ahead of his inauguration, President Trump made it clear that the SpaceX founder would not hold a position in his Cabinet—roles which require vetting through Senate hearings.
Trump told Fox News last year: “[Musk] doesn’t want to be in the Cabinet, he just wants to be in charge of cost-cutting. We’ll have a new position, secretary of cost-cutting, Elon wants to do that.”
Musk vs. Trudeau
The degree of Musk’s influence over Canadian politics is a matter of opinion. It is, however, accurate to say the richest man on the planet has remarked on Canada’s independence from its southern neighbors.
President Trump has repeatedly commented that Canada should become America’s 51st state—a jibe which has been echoed by his press secretary Karoline Leavitt, for example.
This has drawn the ire of Trudeau, who wrote on X in early January: “There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States. Workers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each other’s biggest trading and security partner.”
Musk, who happens to own the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, responded: “Girl, you’re not the governor of Canada anymore, so doesn’t matter what you say.”
Girl, you’re not the governor of Canada anymore, so doesn’t matter what you say
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 8, 2025
Musk has also referred to the democratically elected leader of the Canadian nation as an “insufferable tool.” Responding to a video of Trudeau confirming he is a feminist—a person who believes in equality of the sexes—Musk replied: “Won’t be in power for much longer.”
With President Trump now in power the relationship between Canada and the U.S. has undergone a swift change, largely because of threatened tariffs being imposed on Canadian exports into its foreign neighbor.
The economic sanctions—which would have seen a 25% hike placed on imports—have since been delayed to March 4, with Trump saying he had “determined that the Government of Canada [had] taken immediate steps designed to alleviate the illegal migration and illicit drug crisis through cooperative actions.”
Will it matter?
The petition to revoke Musk’s citizenship has already passed the threshold of 500 signatories to be presented in the House of Commons, as well as being authorized by a member of Parliament.
After the petition is presented it will be tabled for government response, meaning the call from the Canadian people could be denied.
Although a firm political statement, to revoke Musk’s citizenship could have impacts both from a business point of view—with regards to Musk’s interests as a private citizen and CEO of a Magnificent Seven company—and the political, as Musk is a close ally of the White House.
Of course, Musk would still retain his U.S. and South African passport. Documents from Uncle Sam are by far more powerful, according to Condé Nast Traveler, which ranks the U.S. passport as the ninth most powerful—behind Canada at seventh.
