Donald Trump demands $61B from Canada for Golden Dome deal, offers free entry to US as 51st state instead
US President Donald Trump has suggested that Canada could join the proposed Golden Dome missile defence initiative for $61 billion—or opt to become the 51st US state and pay nothing. Trump made the proposal on Tuesday through a post on social media, saying Canada "very much wants" to be part of the system.
'They are considering the offer!' Trump wrote.
The Golden Dome, unveiled last week by Trump, is designed to defend against a wide range of missile threats using space-based interception systems. While the offer to Canada has attracted attention, the financial and political implications remain uncertain.
What the Golden Dome initiative involves
Trump's missile defence initiative is projected to cost $175 billion. It aims to protect the US from potential threats posed by countries like Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran. In his announcement from the Oval Office, Trump described the system as a 'transformative leap' in American defence strategy.
The proposed system would integrate technologies across land, sea, and space, targeting everything from conventional missiles to drones and possibly even weapons launched from space. Trump claimed the Golden Dome would be capable of intercepting attacks from anywhere in the world.
However, the Congressional Budget Office has issued a caution, estimating that the real cost could exceed $500 billion over 20 years due to technical uncertainties. A Republican-backed bill has proposed an initial $25 billion to begin the project, though the measure faces opposition from within the party itself.
Canada's interest in the proposal
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has confirmed that discussions with the US regarding participation in the Golden Dome initiative are ongoing. However, he did not commit to any funding amount and emphasised that talks are still in the preliminary stages.
Canada's defence cooperation with the US primarily operates through Norad, a joint aerospace defence program. While the two countries have a history of close collaboration, Trump's past trade tensions and occasional calls for Canadian statehood have complicated the relationship.
Existing Canadian commitments to Norad
In 2022, Canada announced a C$38.6 billion (about $28 billion USD) investment to upgrade Norad. This substantial allocation reflects Canada's commitment to strengthening its shared defence systems with the US, even as the Golden Dome proposal raises new questions about future cooperation and cost-sharing.
As Canada evaluates Trump's latest proposal, key issues remain: whether the financial demand is justified, what role it would play in the project, and how this could impact its sovereignty and long-standing defence frameworks.
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