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A top White House advisor has pushed back on claims that he advocated for expelling Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, the Five Eyes is an intelligence-sharing alliance that includes the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. It originated during World War II when American and British codebreakers collaborated to decipher German communications, and it was formally established in 1956 to expand intelligence cooperation among trusted allies. The alliance facilitates the sharing of highly sensitive intelligence. Each member country collects intelligence within its region and shares relevant information with the others, creating a larger global surveillance network.
What’s going on now: Initially reported by the Financial Times and other outlets, claims surfaced that Peter Navarro, a senior counselor in the Trump administration, was pushing to expel Canada from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance. According to sources familiar with internal discussions, Navarro allegedly suggested the move as a way to increase pressure on Canada amid ongoing trade tensions, particularly over President Trump’s tariff plans. The reports indicated that Navarro, known for his close relationship with Trump, argued that removing Canada from the intelligence network would be a strategic leverage point.
Despite the claims, Navarro denied these claims, dismissing the idea as “crazy stuff” and stressing that the US would “never, ever jeopardize our national security… with allies like Canada.” He criticized the reporting for relying on unnamed sources and insisted that no such proposal had been made.
This all comes as President Trump has repeatedly called for Canada to be annexed as the 51st state and has referred to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “the governor.” Tensions between Canada and the US escalated further when Trump imposed steep tariffs on Canadian imports, including a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum, arguing that Canada wasn’t doing enough to curb the flow of migrants and drugs into the US.
