What Would NHL Legend Wayne Gretzky's Politics Be as Canadian Prime Minister?

He might not be officially president yet, but Donald Trump is already spending plenty of time meddling in the affairs of other countries. In a post on Truth Social, Trump suggested that he had recently met with hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and told him that he should challenge Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the next election.

“I said, ‘Wayne, why don’t you run for Prime Minister of Canada, soon to be known as the Governor of Canada. You would win easily, you wouldn’t even have to campaign,'" Trump wrote in the post. Following Trump's suggestion that he should try for the job, many wanted to know more about what the former hockey player's politics are.

Wayne Gretzky's politics seem to be broadly aligned with the Canadian Conservative Party, and with Republicans in the United States. He first endorsed the Canadian Conservative Party during the 2015 election, which was when Justin Trudeau first became prime minister. He described Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper as "one of the greatest prime ministers ever," and also got involved with the Progressive Conservative Party that same year.

While he has been less explicit in his views about the U.S., Gretzky did attend the 2024 election night party for Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. He also apparently met with Trump sometime in December, at least according to Trump's post. What seems clear, then, is that Gretzky is broadly sympathetic to the conservative worldview. He is also the child of Ukrainian immigrants and has been outspoken against Russia over Ukraine. He is a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen.

Trump's suggestion that Gretzky should run for prime minister is just the latest example of his attempts to meddle in the politics of the country. Since he won the 2024 election, he has repeatedly suggested that Canada will become another U.S. state under a second Trump term.

While that reality doesn't seem particularly likely, as it would probably involve invading and conquering Canada, it's nonetheless been a regular part of his messaging.

Canada also isn't the only place that Trump has suggested the U.S. should look at taking. He has also made similar comments about Greenland and the Panama Canal, in large part because he seems to believe that conquering more land is the best way to prove that your country is strong.

All of this bluster is part of what many found appealing about Trump. He conveys an image of strength, even if the reality doesn't quite live up to his many pronouncements.

Gretzky, meanwhile, has never publicly flirted with running for prime minister, and it seems like Trump simply made the suggestion because it came to his mind.

It would undoubtedly be beneficial for Trump to have an ally like Gretzky running our neighbor to the north. At the moment, though, that possibility still seems relatively remote. Gretzky may have political views, but that doesn't mean he has political aspirations.