Trump–Canada Rift Deepens as Washington Slams Ottawa’s China Tilt and Missile Shield Opposition

Washington: Tensions between the United States and Canada escalated sharply after US President Donald Trump criticised Ottawa’s stance on a proposed Arctic missile defence system and its growing economic engagement with China. The disagreement has exposed widening cracks in North American strategic coordination at a time of rising global uncertainty.

As per media reports, President Trump expressed strong displeasure over Canada’s reported opposition to a US-backed missile defence initiative planned for the Arctic region near Greenland. The project, envisioned as a protective shield against long-range threats, is seen by Washington as critical for the security of the entire North American region, including Canada.

The White House’s frustration appears to have intensified after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney recently outlined a major trade agreement with China. The deal is expected to open multi-billion-dollar export opportunities for Canadian companies and significantly reduce tariffs on key products, including electric vehicles and agricultural goods.

US officials view Canada’s closer economic ties with Beijing as a strategic shift at odds with American security priorities. President Trump, as per media reports, believes Canada benefits heavily from US military protection while simultaneously pursuing partnerships that could weaken Western unity in the Arctic and Indo-Pacific regions.

The disagreement follows Carney’s remarks at an international economic forum, where he spoke about the weakening of global trade norms and the use of tariffs as political pressure. These comments were widely interpreted as criticism of US trade and foreign policy approaches under the Trump administration.

Canada, facing high tariffs on exports to the US, has defended its outreach to China as a move to reduce economic dependence on a single market. Officials in Ottawa have framed the strategy as diversification in a fragmented global economy, stressing the need to protect Canadian industries from geopolitical shocks.

The Arctic region has emerged as a new focal point of global competition, with the US, China, and Russia increasing their strategic presence. Greenland’s location and natural resources make it especially significant for defence planning and supply chains linked to critical minerals.