Canada Eyeing NATO Ally's Nukes To Deter Trump 'Threat': Candidate
A politician vying to replace Justin Trudeau as Canada's next leader has suggested forming a closer alliance with Britain and France as the NATO nations possess nuclear weapons, which could help safeguard the Canadians against potential threats posed by President Donald Trump.
Why It Matters
Trump has repeatedly said that the United States should annex Canada and absorb the country as the 51st state. Officials have raised alarm bells about the president's threats, saying they undermine Canada's sovereignty. Trudeau has rejected the possibility of his country becoming part of the U.S.
What To Know
Chrystia Freeland, former deputy prime minister under Trudeau, warned that Trump poses a direct "threat" to Canada's sovereignty by saying that the country could potentially become the 51st U.S. state.
Trump has said that Canada is "not viable as a country" without U.S. trade.
Freeland proposed forming stronger defense ties with France and Britain, as their nuclear arsenals could aid Canada "at a time when the United States can pose a threat."
"I would be working urgently with those partners to establish a closer security relationship," the former finance minister said during the final Liberal Party leadership debate last week, U.K. newspaper The Telegraph reported.
Trump "wants to turn Canada into the 51st state, and it's no joke," Freeland said.
"That is why he is supporting [Russian President] Vladimir Putin's criminal attempt to redraw Ukraine's borders," she added. "Trump wants to redraw our borders, too."
Canada's Liberal Party has seen a recent resurgence in the polls, surpassing the Conservatives for the first time since 2021. Party members are set to elect a new leader on March 9, after which Trudeau is expected to step down.
Britain's King Charles III, the head of state of Canada, which is a Commonwealth nation, welcomed Trudeau on Monday for talks, although it wasn't clear if the pair discussed Trump's annexation comments.
What People Are Saying
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on X, formerly Twitter, in January: "There isn't a snowball's chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States. Workers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each other's biggest trading and security partner."
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said in a post on X: "Canada will never be the 51st state. Period. We are a great and independent country."
What Happens Next
Canada is hoping that the head of state, Britain's King Charles III, will condemn Trump's statements on annexing the nation. Trudeau met with the king on Monday at the monarch's royal residence Sandringham, Norfolk, east England.