“Hawaii? A nation before being annexed? Similar legal status?”
That argument has been made about both Hawaii and Alaska. Of the two, Hawaii has the most similarity.
Hawaii went from kingdom, to protectorate, to territory, to state.
It is indeed similar to Texas in that regard.
We bought Alaska fair and square from the Tsar. The purchase, at the time, was derided as “Seward’s Folly”. The things we used to learn in history class ...
Between yellow gold and black gold, Seward arranged a VERY good deal.
Then there’s the whole business of Russia not having a foothold on the North American Continent.