“Never say never.”
As recently reported across multiple media outlets, President Trump had a rather cheeky response to new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Carney, who is apparently the much tougher alternative to former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has made it abundantly clear that Canada will not be joining the United States under any circumstances.
However, despite Carney’s protestations it would appear that the 47th President of the United States is not giving up on the notion of making Canada a 51st state.
On the contrary, Trump has proposed a rather cost-cutting agreement for the United States’ northerly neighbor to consider … an agreement that, at least in theory, would also bolster Canada’s national security.
According to a report from The Hill, Trump has effectively given Canada two different choices when it comes to the “Golden Dome” envisioned by his administration.
As noted by The Hill, the Golden Dome will be “a missile defense system that would create a network of satellites to detect, track and potentially intercept incoming ballistic missiles.”
Such a system is apparently of great interest to the Canadians, according to Trump.
“Canada has called us, and they want to be a part of it. So we’ll be talking to them; they want to have protection also,” Trump declared.
However, the Golden Dome will also cost upwards of $175B to develop and implement … and Canada would apparently need to pay a significant percentage of that amount if it too wishes to reap the benefits of the highly advanced defensive system.
Or, per Trump, Canada could become a 51st state and receive the Golden Dome for free.
“I told Canada, which very much wants to be part of our fabulous Golden Dome System, that it will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State,” Trump proclaimed on Truth Social.
So, two distinct choices in other words … provided that Canada is interested in partaking the benefits of the Golden Dome.
The “Golden Dome” traces its roots to one of the first official presidential actions issued by Trump once he was sworn in as the nation’s president.
The action – “The Iron Dome for America” – outlines all the various ways in which the United States has fallen behind on its own national security.
Thereby underscoring the need for an entirely new system.
“The threat of attack by ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, and other advanced aerial attacks, remains the most catastrophic threat facing the United States … [yet] over the past 40 years, rather than lessening, the threat from next-generation strategic weapons has become more intense and complex with the development by peer and near-peer adversaries of next-generation delivery systems and their own homeland integrated air and missile defense capabilities,” the action detailed.
So, in other words, the United States was in desperate need of yet another national security measure that has been long, long overdue.
“To further the goal of peace through strength, it is the policy of the United States that … The United States will provide for the common defense of its citizens and the Nation by deploying and maintaining a next-generation missile defense shield.”
And that “next-generation” defense is embodied in the Golden Dome.
The presidential action may be reviewed in its entirety here.
Will Canada ultimately take Trump up on his offer of a “free” Golden Dome in exchange for statehood?
“They are considering the offer!” Trump insisted.
From the Canadian side, Carney is playing somewhat coy about whether or not he would acquiesce Canada to Trump.
Which is especially clear when evaluating the remarks of Audrey Champoux, a Carney spokesperson.
“Canadians gave the prime minister a strong mandate to negotiate a comprehensive new security and economic relationship with the United States … To that end, the prime minister and his ministers are having wide-ranging and constructive discussions with their American counterparts. These discussions naturally include strengthening [North American Aerospace Defense Command] and related initiatives such as the Golden Dome,” Champoux mused.
Time remains to tell whether or not that offer will be accepted … but it is safe to say that enormous change across multiple geopolitical spheres will continue to swell.
Author: Ofelia Thornton
