February 18, 2026 at 6:20 PM
Canada is still interested in Golden Dome. What can it bring – and how could it fall apart?
“Those [Golden Dome] conversations are ongoing, and we will only participate if it is right for both parties,” a spokesperson with Canada’s Minister of Defense told Breaking Defense.
WASHINGTON —When President Donald Trump formally announced the creation of a “Golden Dome” missile defense shield, he made a notable claim: that Canada had already asked to take part in the effort. “They want to hook in, and they want to see if they can be a part of it,” Trump said of America’s northern neighbor during the May 20 event. “It won’t be very difficult to do.
They’ll pay their fair share.” Of course, relations between Washington and Ottawa have been rocky for almost the entirety of Trump’s second term, given repeated statements from Trump that he wants Canada to become the 51st state. And when it comes to Golden Dome, those tensions quickly manifested, with Trump saying Canada would have to pay $61 billion to take part. The issue popped up again just a few weeks ago, with Trump taking shots at Ottawa for, he said, opposing using Greenland as part of Golden Dome.