The United States Department of Defense announced it will halt participation in the Permanent Joint Board on Defense with Canada, accusing the country of failing to meet its defense commitments. The decision marks a further deterioration in bilateral relations since President Donald Trump returned to office in 2025.
US Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby wrote on social media that the department would suspend involvement in the board to “reassess” its benefits. The board, established during World War II, has served as a forum for regional security discussions.
“A strong Canada that prioritizes hard power over rhetoric benefits us all. Unfortunately, Canada has failed to make credible progress on its defense commitments,” Colby stated. “We can no longer avoid the gaps between rhetoric and reality. Real powers must sustain our rhetoric with shared defense and security responsibilities.”
The announcement is the latest instance of the Trump administration chiding Western allies for what it perceives as overreliance on US military power. Allied countries have largely refuted these claims, arguing they are increasing military spending and taking steps to assume greater control over regional security.
Last year, at a NATO summit in The Hague, nearly all member states agreed to raise defense spending to 5% of their GDP. Canada, under Prime Minister Mark Carney, was among the countries committing to the increase. Ottawa said 3.5% of the 5% would go to bolstering “core military capabilities,” with the remainder allocated to security-related expenses such as port improvements and emergency preparedness.
Since taking office in March 2025, Carney has been an outspoken advocate for reducing Canada’s dependence on the US military and economy. In a speech, he outlined a vision where “middle powers” like Canada would band together to sidestep the current “era of great power rivalry,” a veiled reference to the US, Russia, and China.
Trump’s second presidency has frayed bonds between the neighbors beyond security matters. He has accused Canada of unfair trade policies and failing to curb illicit cross-border flows of people and drugs, though critics question the legitimacy of these claims. To pressure Canada, Trump has imposed aggressive tariffs on imports.
Trump has previously suggested Canada could avoid such penalties by ceding sovereignty and becoming the 51st US state. “Cooler and wiser brains are needed to preserve a close alliance with our neighbor,” said Republican Representative Don Bacon, criticizing the defense board withdrawal. “This all started with taunts of ‘Canada will be the 51st state’… The insults gained us nothing but animosity that cost us economically and now militarily.”
The US, Canada, and Mexico are set to negotiate an updated version of the USMCA free trade agreement later this year.
Source: www.aljazeera.com