Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney applauded President Donald Trump’s announcement of the “Golden Dome” missile shield project on Wednesday, although he came up short of asking for Golden Dome to protect Canada, or pledging funds to develop the system.
Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced they have selected the “architecture” for Golden Dome on Tuesday. Trump said the system would be “capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world, and even if they are launched from space.”
Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” the budget reconciliation bill that passed the House on Thursday morning, included $25 billion in funding to kickstart the project. Trump estimated the full price tag would be around $175 billion.
The president said on Tuesday that Canada was interested in joining the project, because “they want to have protection also.”
Prime Minister Carney confirmed on Wednesday that discussions are underway for Canada to join the project, but he revealed little about the progress of those discussions.
“We are conscious that we have an ability, if we so choose, to complete the Golden Dome with investments in partnership. And it’s something that we are looking at, and something that has been discussed at a very high level,” he said.
Carney refused to put a “price tag” on potential Canadian participation in Golden Dome development.
“I’m not sure one negotiates on this. These are military decisions. And we will evaluate it accordingly,” he said.
Carney said that Canada, like the United States, is conscious of “new and increasing missile threats” that “could come from space.”
“We take those threats seriously,” he said.
“Is Canada going to be doing this alone or with the United States? Because with a Golden Dome, there will be discussions that could have an impact on Canada, but Canada wouldn’t be a part of them,” he said. This seemed like an odd perspective, since the point of joining the project would be to make Canada part of those very discussions.
“Is it a good idea for Canada? Yes, it is good to have protections in place for Canadians,” he concluded, apparently winning a brief argument with himself.
Carney topped off his performance with a bit of irritation when reminded that he declared Canada’s special relationship with America was over during his campaign.
“We are in a position now where we cooperate when necessary, but not necessarily cooperate,” he said.
Carney spokeswoman Audrey Champoux gave a slightly less confusing, but no less elusive, answer when asked about Canadian participation.
“Canadians gave the prime minister a strong mandate to negotiate a comprehensive new security and economic relationship with the United States. To that end, the prime minister and his ministers are having wide-ranging and constructive discussions with their American counterparts,” Champoux said.
“These discussions naturally include strengthening NORAD, and related initiatives such as the Golden Dome,” she said.
It was not difficult to read between the lines and see why Carney was so amusingly evasive about chipping in for protection he unequivocally stated Canada could use. As his spokeswoman hinted, Carney ran and won on an anti-Trump platform in the recent election, tapping into the anger among Canadians at Trump for slapping tariffs on their exports and talking about annexing Canada to the United States.
Carney has been very nervous about walking back his anti-Trump rhetoric in the weeks since winning the election, particularly after a remarkably genial meeting with Trump at the White House early this month.
The Canadian prime minister has missed no public opportunity since then to remind his voters that he is still very cross with Donald Trump, so immediately committing billions of dollars to Trump’s missile shield proposal would be awkward – but as Carney’s own comments made clear, rejecting it out of hand would be foolish.
Carney was probably a little miffed at Trump for immediately announcing Canada’s interest. If Canada does sign up for Iron Dome, Carney will want to make it clear that it was his idea, not Donald Trump’s.
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