Why Canada is preparing for a (long shot) US invasion

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has acknowledged that his government has war-gamed a hypothetical US invasion. While officials view the scenario as highly improbable, it reflects growing tensions in the US-Canada relationship under the Trump presidency.
Why it matters
Highlights the strain in North American diplomatic and defense relations and the impact of protectionist economic policies.
Image source, Getty Images By Nadine Yousif and Robin Levinson-King , in Toronto Published 1 hour ago Prime Minister Mark Carney admitted last week that he has prepared for a once-unthinkable scenario - a US invasion.
Noting the risk was low and the likelihood highly improbable, he told the New York Times he had a responsibility to consider all possibilities as the US-Canada relationship is redefined under the Donald Trump presidency.
"That's just risk management," Carney said.
Trump's global tariffs and his often-repeated desire to make Canada the 51st state has led Canada to war game an attack by the Americans.
In 2025, the US president said it was "highly unlikely" that the US would ever use force against Canada. Instead he said, he would continue to exert economic pressures to obtain political aims.
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