‘Insulting’: American coach of Canada men’s soccer team hits back at Trump

Jesse Marsch urged Donald Trump to 'lay off ridiculous rhetoric' of Canada as the 51st state.

The American coach of the Canadian men’s national soccer team is not mincing words when it comes to Donald Trump.

Jesse Marsch, the Wisconsin-born coach, blasted the U.S. president for his ongoing “51st state” remarks, calling them “insulting.”

“I’d like to address the 51st state discourse, which I find unsettling and, frankly, insulting,” said Marsch while speaking to the press at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday, the site of next month’s CONCACAF Nations League Finals featuring Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Panama.

“If I have one message to our president, it’s lay off the ridiculous rhetoric about Canada being the 51st state.”

“As an American, I’m ashamed of the arrogance and disregard that we’ve shown one of our historically oldest, strongest and most loyal allies,” he continued, after he was asked about the recent 4 Nations Face-Off hockey final between Canada and the U.S. and, as an American coaching the Canadian men’s team, how comfortable was he with “all this political stuff happening right now.”

Marsch, a former U.S. men’s national team player, underscored his message by comparing his home country to the one where he now lives.

“Canada is a strong, independent nation that’s deep-rooted in decency,” he said. “It’s a place that values high ethics and respect, unlike the polarized, disrespectful and often now hate-fuelled climate that’s in the U.S.”

Since his inauguration in January, Trump has said on multiple occasions that he’d like to see Canada become part of the U.S., even if that means using what he called “economic force” to make it happen.