President Donald Trump recently made headlines by reiterating his desire for Canada to become a part of the United States. During a press conference, Trump criticized Canada's NATO spending, claiming that the country is among the lowest contributors to the alliance. He suggested that if Canada were to pay a more equitable share, it would struggle to thrive as an independent nation.
In response to Trump's remarks, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dismissed the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state, labeling it as a distraction from the ongoing trade tensions between the two countries. Trump had previously threatened significant tariffs on Canadian goods, leading to a temporary agreement to pause the tariffs for 30 days.
It is important to note that NATO recommends member countries to allocate 2% of their gross domestic product towards defense spending. While Canada ranked as the 5th lowest member in terms of defense spending as a percentage of GDP in 2024, defense policy expert Stephen Saideman highlighted that Canada is actually one of the top spenders in absolute terms when not considering the size of the economy. In 2024, Canada ranked 8th out of 31 NATO members in terms of total defense expenditure.
The debate surrounding Canada's NATO contributions and its relationship with the United States continues to be a topic of discussion, reflecting broader geopolitical tensions and trade dynamics between the two North American neighbors.
