Summary
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in a private meeting inadvertently broadcast via a hot mic, warned that Donald Trump is seriously considering annexing Canada to secure its critical mineral resources.
Speaking to business and labor leaders, Trudeau claimed Trump’s administration is keenly aware of Canada’s resource wealth and sees annexation as a means to control it.
The comments, cut off after staff realized they were audible, underscore growing economic and political tensions.
He also stressed the need to diversify trade, noting, “Geography means we’re always going to both benefit and be challenged by trade with the United States.”
If the US used military force (unlikely), they’d just do what the Russians did in 2014. They’d little green men in who were obviously American soldiers, but where there was (barely) plausible deniability.
No sane country wants to actually go to war with the US, so that would give the NATO allies the excuse they needed not to declare war on the US. They’d just lament the tragic incident, and demand an investigation into who these soldiers actually were, and then it would all be over.
Most likely, the next thing to happen would be negotiations with the US like the negotiations with Germany after the Anchluss, with European leaders playing the role of Neville Chamberlain, attempting to appease Trump.