Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has publicly acknowledged that Ottawa has considered even an extreme scenario: military intervention by the United States. According to him, this is not the baseline scenario, but the very fact that it is being mentioned by the head of government shows how strained relations with Washington have become under Donald Trump’s rhetoric.
Ottawa acknowledges it is weighing even the most extreme scenario
In an interview with The New York Times, Carney said his government has examined extreme risks, including the possibility of U.S. military intervention in Canada.
He presented this as part of normal risk management and argued that it would be irresponsible not to prepare plans even for such a situation. The statement comes at a time when Trump has repeated the idea of making Canada the 51st U.S. state.
Dependence on the U.S. at the center of Canadian concern
Beyond security, Carney also spoke about Canada’s effort to reduce its dependence on the United States in the economy and in strategic ties.
One of the examples he mentioned was Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service. According to him, Canada aims to move away from that dependence, signaling that technology and critical infrastructure are increasingly being viewed as security issues and not just market matters.
Selective decoupling, not a full split
However, Carney acknowledged that distancing Canada from the U.S. economy has clear limits. According to him, it makes no sense to break up the integrated automotive industry between the two countries.
He also spoke out against using Canadian energy and food exports as a tool of pressure against the United States, suggesting that Ottawa is seeking more room to maneuver, but not an uncontrolled confrontation with its main economic partner.
Alternatives to the U.S. dollar emerge on the horizon
Another point raised by Carney concerns the international financial system. In his view, the policies of the Trump administration and the use of trade as an instrument of pressure could push different countries to seek alternatives to the U.S. dollar.
Carney argued that a global financial order with several reserve currencies would bring greater flexibility. In essence, his message is that dependence on a single partner, whether in trade, technology or finance, is increasingly being seen as a strategic risk.
Trade clashes continue, political contacts do not stop
Despite the tensions, Carney said communication with Donald Trump continues. According to him, the two have spoken several times after the collapse of trade negotiations in August and the imposition of new tariffs by both sides.
This shows that the Canada-U.S. relationship is moving on two tracks at once: cooperation made necessary by economic interdependence and, at the same time, preparation for scenarios that until yesterday would have seemed beyond any political calculation.
Carney’s public remarks do not change the fact that the United States remains Canada’s decisive partner, but they make more visible the uncertainty that has entered the relationship.
When a prime minister speaks openly about plans for such a scenario, the political signal is clear: in Ottawa, even a risk that would previously have been dismissed as mere rhetoric is no longer being treated as impossible.