Senior US advisor recommends removing Canada from Five Eyes
2 Min Read
The suggestion comes as a measure Trump could take to pressure Canada into becoming the 51st state, and while the president's opinion is unknown, officials are discussing the idea.
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President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pose for a photo as Trudeau arrives at the White House in Washington, on Oct. 11, 2017 (AP)
US Senior Counselor for Trade and Manufacturing suggested that Canada be removed from the Five-Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, in a bid to increase pressure on Canada amid Trump's calls for it to become the 51st state.
While the report doesn't confirm if Trump is actually considering the measure, officials in his administration are actively discussing threatening Canada to expel it from the intelligence-sharing alliance.
The Five Eyes is an alliance between the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, who are parties to the UKUSA Agreement, a treaty for cooperation in Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) originally between the UK and the USA, and then expanded to include Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
Tensions plague US-Canada relations
US President Trump has repeatedly suggested that Canada could become the 51st US state, in response to Trudeau's claims that tariffs could devastate the Canadian economy. Trump even said that the Canadian PM could serve as Governor of Canada, during a meeting in Mar-a-lago on December 3, 2024.
The Canadian PM Trudeau later confirmed that Trump's remarks regarding Canada are a serious concern, highlighting that his interest in Canada is due to the country's massive reserves of critical minerals.
Trump announced on February 11 that he would impose a 25% tariff on most imports coming from Canada, triggering strong retaliation from Canadian PM Justin Trudeau who said Canada would respond "purposefully and forcefully" before Trump postponed the tariffs for 30 days, according to Trudeau.
The United States justifies its tariffs on Canada by accusing it of facilitating the influx of fentanyl, a highly potent opioid drug that is becoming an epidemic in the United States.
The US president recently echoed his ambitions for turning Canada into the 51st state, jokingly saying that Canada could keep its "O Canada" national anthem if it becomes an American state, emphasizing, "I think they have to become the 51st state."
