Can Trump send US military to capture Canada? Experts upset over Greenland acquisition plans

Can Donald Trump send the US military to capture Canada and make it the 51st state of the country? Is Canada making preparations for the worst? Many people, including defence hawks and security experts, think it is the right time to rethink defence strategy and prepare for the worst-case scenario from a powerful neighboring state. Defence mandarins and former senior officials of the armed forces are upset with Donald Trump's reported plans to acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. They recall how the US president asked Canada to join it as its 51st state to avoid increased tariffs.

US-Canada Ties

The US and Canada have been long-time defence partners in the North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). This cooperation is aimed at protecting the North American airspace and maritime. However, the North American country is modernising its air force and making investments in next-generation sensors, command and control systems, and air-defense assets. 

Canada is upgrading its fighter aircraft and planning to buy sixth-generation stealth fighter F-35. It is funding advanced technologies and surveillance systems like air defence and anti-drone systems. It has also increased its defence budget to 2% of the GDP as demanded by Donald Trump. On the other hand, Canada is prioritizing its northern territories for strategic significance. It has made the strategy of increasing its Arctic presence by developing infrastructure. It will also increase surveillance and develop a system for rapid response capabilities. 

Canada defence modernization in Arctic

The North American country has also set up the Canadian Joint Forces Command (CJFC) for better coordination in joint military operations, including integrated air and missile defence and drone warfare capabilities. It also participated in multinational exercises like Operation Reassurance in Europe and continues to work with NATO allies. Though these steps have been taken to increase its presence in the Arctic region, defence experts now do not rule out the possibility of getting ready for a war. 

Talking to the CBC, Adam Gordon, a visiting fellow of the Cascade Institute at Royal Roads University, indicated mounting evidence suggesting a real risk of the Trump administration using military coercion against Canada. He talked of "a pattern of behaviour and statements" from the Trump administration, including the U.S. president's calls for Canada to become the 51st state. He served as a senior adviser to Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and her predecessor Melanie Joly. 

US Canada Greenland geopolitics

Other observers of U.S. foreign policy have also cautioned that Trump's actions elsewhere in the Western Hemisphere put Canada in the crosshairs of U.S. military action. They are upset over the White House's announcement of plans to acquire Greenland, keeping military action as one of the options. It said in a statement Tuesday, "The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal, and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief's disposal." The options include outright purchase of the Arctic island, signing an agreement to form a Compact of Free Association with the territory. The COFA agreement would be short of making the island of 57,000 people a part of the US. The last option is to capture Greenland by force.

After imposing a 25% tariff on Canada in 2025, Donald Trump expressed his desire to annex Canada as its 51st state. He also said that once it becomes a US state, it will not have to pay any tariffs at all. Later, he also said that it was not a joke and he was serious when he said this.