President Donald Trump has privately intensified his focus on Canada’s Arctic defenses, pressing aides on what he views as Ottawa’s vulnerability to Russia and China and urging higher Canadian defense spending.
The White House has accelerated a wider Arctic strategy that is also fueling a showdown with European allies over Greenland.
The internal push centers on border security and deterrence in the far north.
Multiple current and former U.S. officials said Trump has been complaining in recent weeks that Canada is not positioned to prevent “any encroachment from Russia or China” in the Arctic, and that he wants Canada to spend more on defense.
One official, quoted by NBC, said, “Trump is really worried about the U.S. continuing to drift in the Western Hemisphere and is focused on this.”
However, the White House is not discussing stationing U.S. troops on the ground along Canada’s northern border, and Trump is not seeking to purchase Canada or take it by military force.
Talks with Canadian officials are aimed at deeper military cooperation in the Arctic.
Options under discussion include modernizing Canadian early warning systems, expanding joint U.S.-Canadian training and operations, increasing joint air and maritime patrols, and boosting American ship patrols in Arctic waters.
The Department of War's Arctic working group has warned the White House that Canada’s exposure to China and Russia along its northern approaches is among the U.S.' biggest concerns in the region.
The Canada pressure campaign is unfolding alongside Trump’s push to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Trump’s Greenland drive has also triggered a fast-moving trade dispute with Europe.
Reuters reported that Trump said he would impose escalating tariffs on eight European countries unless the United States is allowed to purchase Greenland.
The Netherlands’ foreign minister called the tariff threat “blackmail,” while EU ambassadors planned an emergency meeting set for Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, starting at 5:00 p.m. in Brussels, Belgium.
Canada’s public position is that Greenland’s fate is up to Greenland and Denmark, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday that Canada stands behind Denmark as a NATO ally.
Carney visited Beijing to pursue closer relations with China. Trump supported a Canada-China deal, calling it positive and encouraging Carney to move forward if possible.
“That’s what he should be doing,” Trump said. “If you can get a deal with China, you should do that.”
Canada has begun increasing defense spending, but it still falls short of NATO’s benchmark.
Canada’s Department of National Defense says Ottawa’s defense spending was projected to reach 1.37% of GDP in fiscal 2024-25, up from 1.31% the prior year, still well below NATO’s recent agreement that allies spend 5% of their GDP on defense as of June 2025.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.