U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan of Alaska joked about Alberta joining the United States during an interview with conservative American commentator Benny Johnson, saying he would “love another state” while leaving the question of Alberta’s future to Albertans.The comments came during an interview clip posted by Johnson on X on Thursday, in which he raised the prospect of Alberta becoming part of the United States and suggested it could join Alaska in some form.“If Alberta goes independent, I mean they may want to just hang out with Alaska,” Johnson said in the clip.“They may want to maybe form like a super-state, which would be cool.”Sullivan did not endorse the idea directly, but did not reject it either when Johnson asked whether he was “for or against Alberta independence.”“I’ll let the Albertans make that call,” Sullivan replied.“But heck, I’d love another state. Yeah, just to make sure it’s not bigger than Alaska.”.Johnson then continued to riff on the idea, telling viewers, “Come on, Alberta,” and saying he wanted to be able to drive to Alaska “and never leave America.”The exchange comes as Alberta’s independence movement has drawn renewed attention in Canada following calls from some activists and political figures for a referendum on the province’s future within Confederation.Sullivan, who represents Alaska in the U.S. Senate, also used the interview to boast about Alaska’s size and strategic importance to the United States, pointing to the state’s role in energy production, missile defence and military infrastructure.“We are a huge asset to our whole country,” he said.It was not immediately clear whether Sullivan’s office intended the remarks as a serious comment on Alberta politics or as a lighthearted exchange with Johnson, whose show often blends political commentary with political satire.
