A top White House official has proposed expelling Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network as Donald Trump increases pressure on the country he talks about turning into the 51st U.S. state.
Peter Navarro, one of the U.S. president’s closest advisers, is pushing for the U.S. to remove Canada from the Five Eyes — which also includes the U.K., Australia and New Zealand — according to people familiar with his efforts inside the administration.
Trump has said he wants to annex Canada and has vowed to press ahead with 25 per cent tariffs on imports from the country when a one-month reprieve elapses on March 4.
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who will step down from office on March 9, was recently caught on an open mic warning that Trump’s ambition to absorb the U.S.’s northern neighbour was a “real thing”.
Navarro did not respond to requests for comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Trudeau’s office declined to comment.
Trump stunned U.S. allies when he made Canada his first big target for tariffs, alongside Mexico, claiming Ottawa was not doing enough to stop migrants and drugs from entering the U.S.
The people familiar with the situation said Navarro, who has easy access to the Oval Office due to his close relationship with Trump, is arguing that the U.S. should increase pressure on Canada by evicting the country from the Five Eyes.
It is unclear whether the idea has gained traction with Trump but it is being discussed among his officials.
The Five Eyes has for decades been the most important intelligence-sharing network in the world. The U.S. and its allies share extremely sensitive signals and human intelligence in addition to co-ordinating on operations. The CIA-led Pine Gap satellite station in central Australia, which is the most important site for collecting intelligence about China, is just one example of the intimate intelligence relationship.
Navarro slammed the rumors
Navarro slammed the piece to reporters, noting the Times reporting didn’t name its sources.
“My view is that we should never have to comment on any story where it’s based on unnamed sources,” he said, adding, “We would never, ever jeopardize our national security, ever, with allies like Canada, ever.”
Trump has insisted he wants to make Canada the 51st American state. Canadian officials have repeatedly stated they will not be joining the U.S., and tensions between the two countries worsened as the president plans to implement his tariff plan.
