Stunning: With Trump’s Rhetoric Carney Says Canada Considered Risk Of US Invasion
WASHINGTON, DC-Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government had considered the “extreme tail risk” of possible US military action against Canada after US President Donald Trump repeatedly suggested that Canada should become America’s 51st state.
Carney said examining even an unlikely military scenario was part of his responsibility as prime minister.
“I think you have a responsibility in these roles to look at extreme tail risk. That’s just risk management. That’s not a base case,” Carney told The New York Times, adding that “it would be irresponsible not to.”
Fox News reported Carney’s comments on September 24 as relations between Washington and Ottawa faced new strains over tariffs and Canada’s efforts to reduce its economic dependence on the United States.
Carney’s remarks offered a rare acknowledgement that Trump’s rhetoric about making Canada the 51st state had prompted his government to consider the possibility of military action. He stressed that a US military attack was not considered a likely outcome and did not provide details of what preparations had been considered.
Trade tensions between the two neighbors have escalated over the past year, with Trump imposing higher tariffs on Canadian products and Ottawa responding with retaliatory measures.
Carney has argued that the dispute exposed the risks of Canada relying too heavily on a single market.
“The past 40 years has been a period of deeper economic integration with the United States. Truth is, it was easy business, but it meant we relied too much on one economic partner. It’s clear that time is over,” Carney said in a video statement earlier this month.
“This is why our plan, since I came into office, has been development and diversification, not denial, waiting to go back to some good old days and not continued dependence,” he said.
Canada has consequently sought to expand commercial relationships beyond the United States. Reports that Ottawa could become an associate member of the European Union have also drawn a sharp response from Trump.
“I think it’s laughable,” Trump said when asked about the possibility.
“If they do that, if I think it’s at all a hostile act, I will put very serious tariffs or stop trading with Europe on many things,” he said.
Trump said his response would depend on whether Canada’s move was made with hostile intent.
“If Europe does that with a bad intention, if it’s a good intention, that’s fine, if it’s a bad intention, we’ll put very heavy tariffs on Europe,” he said.
The dispute has therefore extended beyond tariffs into broader questions about Canada’s economic and strategic relationship with the United States.
Carney has rejected the suggestion that Canada could become part of the United States and has instead promoted economic diversification as a way to reduce the impact of future disruptions in trade with Washington. (IANS)
