Trump Offers Canada Free Entry into $175 Billion ‘Golden Dome’ Missile Shield If It Becomes 51st US State
In a startling geopolitical twist, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday publicly offered Canada free participation in his proposed $175 billion ‘Golden Dome’ missile defence system—on the condition that Canada becomes the 51st state of the United States.
Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform, stating, “I told Canada, which very much wants to be part of our fabulous Golden Dome System, that it will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation, but will cost ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State. They are considering the offer!”
The unconventional proposal comes amid ongoing discussions between the two North American neighbours over Canada’s potential involvement in the Golden Dome initiative—a multi-layered missile defence system that would, for the first time, deploy US weapons in space.
Last week, Trump unveiled the Golden Dome program, which he described as the “most advanced and powerful missile defence system in human history.” The system is designed to intercept missile threats at four stages: before launch, during initial flight, midcourse, and final impact—through a blend of land-based interceptors and space-based weapons.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump confirmed the system is scheduled to be operational by 2029 and would serve as a shield against missile attacks from any global source, including space.
However, his linkage of Canada’s free participation to a potential shift in national sovereignty has sparked global and domestic controversy.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, while acknowledging talks with the US about the defence system, dismissed the idea of statehood outright. “We cooperate if necessary but not necessarily cooperate,” Carney said at a press conference last week.
In a more direct rebuke earlier this month, during a joint Oval Office appearance, Carney told Trump: “It’s not for sale, it won’t be for sale—ever.”
Trump’s response: “Never say never, never say never.”
While the Canadian government has not formally addressed Trump’s statehood offer, officials have reiterated the nation’s commitment to sovereignty and independence.
Reactions from political analysts and social media users were swift and divided. Some dismissed the offer as a publicity stunt by Trump ahead of the upcoming US election. Others expressed concern over the blurring of lines between defence negotiations and sovereignty.
“This is the most bizarre proposal I’ve seen in years of international diplomacy,” tweeted one Canadian MP. “Our security cannot come at the cost of our identity.”
Meanwhile, some pro-Trump commentators in the US praised the deal as “economically strategic and historically bold.”
The Trump administration has tied the Golden Dome system to a broader agenda of counterterrorism and fighting antisemitism. Reports suggest that Trump has also intensified social media vetting of foreign students and cracked down on elite universities for alleged antisemitic environments.
Earlier this month, Trump moved to strip Harvard University of its authority to admit international students—an order that was later blocked by a federal court.
