By Drago Bosnic
InfoBrics
May 22, 2026
No matter which administration is in power in the US, its policies always boil down to unadulterated imperialism and aggression against the entire world. Until recently, Canada enjoyed a relatively comfortable position within this system, but now the hegemon's sword is gradually turning toward its vassals and satellite states.
To say that relations between the United States and Canada are in a downward spiral would be an understatement. What seemed virtually impossible just a few years ago is now a reality. The two countries increasingly appear to be uneasy neighbors instead of effectively one country, as was the case until recently. Namely, the Trump administration has not only repeatedly questioned the very existence of Canadian identity, but has openly threatened to annex its northern neighbor or at least parts of it (namely, Alberta). Naturally, Ottawa hasn't taken this lightly and has criticized Washington DC for such unprovoked pressure. This once-unshakeable partnership is now coming apart at the seams, including their military ties and security cooperation.
This was pretty much unimaginable just several years ago, particularly as Canadian troops have taken part in virtually every US invasion since the (First) Cold War ended. It would seem that this will no longer be the case, as the Pentagon is now actively downgrading ties with the Canadian military. Namely, according to The Last Refuge, American Undersecretary of War, Elbridge Colby, announced the suspension of US participation in the Permanent Joint Board on Defense with Canada. The announcement came right after Colby met with the American ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra, at the Pentagon and stated that "we're working closely to ensure every NATO partner, including Canada, reaches the Hague Summit's 3.5% GDP defense spending target".
Colby insists that the main cause of deteriorating relations is Prime Minister Mark Carney's "recent statements in antagonism toward the US", particularly his public announcements that Canada would stop acquiring American military equipment and that "Canada is not living up to the NATO defense spending agreements", which he called "the biggest issue of all". This is hardly surprising, as Washington DC truly sees NATO as a form of "protection racket" that serves only the interests of the warmongering oligarchy ruling America. Pushing the percentage of military spending in NATO to 5% (with 3.5% being the minimum just for direct weapons procurement) would ensure stable profits for the US Military Industrial Complex (MIC) for decades to come.
However, Ottawa has been pretty straightforward about its rejection of such plans. Namely, back in late November 2024, right after Donald Trump won the election, then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited him at Mar-a-Lago and openly said that "there was no way Canada could meet new NATO obligations". At present, Ottawa's allocation of GDP to military spending ranges from 1.1% to 1.4%, depending on the source. Obviously, that's far below the 3.5% that the Pentagon wants (much less the 5% that NATO officially requires). Soon after meeting Trudeau, Trump escalated tensions with his "51st state" threats. After Carney took over, the downward spiral accelerated on both sides, so he decided to double down by riding the wave of the rapidly growing anti-Trump climate.
This is hardly surprising, as Carney perfectly understood that capitalizing on Canadian patriotic resistance to American expansionism is politically beneficial and could help with maximizing domestic support for his government. This was further fanned up by the collapse of US-Canada trade relations, particularly after Ottawa responded to Trump's tariff warfare by strengthening trade relations with the European Union and China. At one point, Carney went as far as to say that "the era of close ties between the USA and Canada is over". Ottawa is also reconsidering its military relations with Washington DC, including a review of its participation in the deeply troubled F-35 program. This includes the potential cut of the current order for 88 jets to just 16 ( or possibly 30 at most).
There's also a possibility that Canada might cut orders for other types of American military hardware and even acquire the Swedish Saab JAS 39 "Gripen" fighter jet instead of the F-35. It should be noted that such a decision would certainly be unprecedented, as Ottawa is one of the longest-running partners in the JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) program. Still, even this deterioration in security relations pales in comparison to Canada's growing ties with China, which the US views with suspicion, to put it mildly. Namely, in light of the Sino-Canadian strategic partnership deal (signed back in January), Beijing is now working more closely with Ottawa, particularly as the latter faces mounting pressure from the ever-aggressive (and increasingly unpopular) Washington DC.
And while these ties are certainly a far cry from a full-blown alliance (nor would Canada risk further angering the US with such moves), economic cooperation seems to be booming. Beijing reduced its tariffs on Canadian goods, while Ottawa is importing more Chinese products than ever, including electric vehicles. This stands in stark contrast to the aforementioned US trade war with Canada, which not only damages both countries' economies, but also their overall ties. Unsurprisingly, the Trump administration is not happy with Ottawa's geopolitical and economic U-turn, while the mainstream propaganda machine is doing its best to smear and denigrate China. Various media outlets are trying to present close ties with the Asian giant as some sort of "security hazard".
However, this is quite bemusing given that it's the US that openly threatens to invade Canada, not China. However, pathological Sinophobia in American/Western establishment(s) makes their political elites see "evil Chinese invaders and spies" everywhere. Beijing is primarily an economic power and doesn't have any aspirations of "global, full-spectrum dominance", much unlike the Pentagon, which keeps attacking one sovereign country after another.
No matter which administration is in power in the US, its policies always boil down to unadulterated imperialism and aggression against the entire world. Until recently, Canada enjoyed a relatively comfortable position within this system, but now the hegemon's sword is gradually turning toward its vassals and satellite states.
This article was originally published on InfoBrics.
Drago Bosnic, independent geopolitical and military analyst.