Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ offer has Canada, others unsure of $61B price tag

By Global Dispatch News | May 29, 2025 OTTAWA — Canada has yet to determine the financial implications of participating in former U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed “Golden Dome” missile defense initiative, Defence Minister David McGuinty confirmed on Wednesday. Speaking ahead of a Liberal caucus meeting, McGuinty stated, “I’m not in a position to evaluate the numbers. We’ll outline more in the fall budget.” His comments came a day after Trump posted on social media that Canada would need to contribute $61 billion to join the system as a sovereign nation — but would pay “nothing at all” if it agreed to become the 51st U.S. state. Trump’s post sparked both confusion and criticism in Canadian political circles. While Prime Minister Mark Carney declined to comment on negotiations, citing a preference not to engage in public diplomacy, he has previously acknowledged that Canada is exploring the possibility of involvement in the missile defense program. Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Bob Rae, was more direct, posting on social media: “In another context this would be called a protection racket.” During the CANSEC defence conference in Ottawa, former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo distanced himself from Trump’s statehood suggestion. “It’s imperative that Canada and the United States work together on this,” Pompeo said. “This project will require a deep level of trust and collaboration between our nations, especially in defense and technology.” Pompeo also noted that he had no knowledge of the $61 billion figure Trump cited, but acknowledged that the initiative — modeled after Israel’s Iron Dome — would be a “very costly undertaking.” U.S. estimates place the full system’s price tag at $175 billion, with the Congressional Budget Office projecting long-term costs could exceed $500 billion over two decades. Canada’s military leaders emphasized the country is only in preliminary talks. Lt.-Gen. Eric Kenny of the Royal Canadian Air Force noted, “We’re in early exploratory discussions with the U.S. We haven’t been given any official cost figures.” Kenny emphasized that Canada would prioritize sovereignty and system compatibility in any future agreement. Despite renewed rhetoric about Canadian statehood, Liberal MPs entering Wednesday’s caucus reiterated that the idea of joining the United States politically is not being considered. In 2022, Canada pledged $38.6 billion toward modernizing NORAD over 20 years. The potential addition of the “Golden Dome” to its defense architecture could represent a major shift in continental security policy — and a politically sensitive one. — With reporting by Kelly Malone (Washington), Kyle Duggan (Ottawa), and contributions from Global News