As the Canada-U.S. relationship enters a new phase under the renewed presidency of Donald Trump, experts are analyzing the American leader's demands and the potential implications for the northern neighbour. According to reports from CTV and The Associated Press, President Trump's objectives appear to extend beyond specific trade issues, aiming instead for a position of dominance.
Trade Talks Stall as Trump Dismisses CUSMA
Recent discussions on the future of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) have effectively stalled. When questioned about renewing the trade pact he once supported, President Trump was dismissive. He stated the agreement was "irrelevant to me" and claimed "there's no real advantage to it." He added, "Canada would love it. Canada wants it, they need it, because we don't need Canada product."
However, analysts view these statements as classic Trump negotiation tactics. Asa McKercher, the research chair of Canada-U.S. relations at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, interprets the comments as a strategic move. "I think he wants a position in which the United States gets a lot from Canada and doesn't have to give up a lot in return," McKercher explained. He countered Trump's claim, noting the U.S. reliance on Canadian natural resources and tourism dollars.
A Strategy of Domination Over Individual Issues
Other experts argue that Trump's approach is not about resolving discrete policy files but about asserting overarching control. Aaron Ettinger, an associate professor of political science at Carleton University, believes no single concession will satisfy the American president. "Trump’s foreign policy is about asserting domination over everyone he can and subordinating all other interests to his own," Ettinger said. He pointed out that recent Canadian efforts, such as increasing funding to combat fentanyl trafficking and pledging higher defence spending, have not yielded relief from American pressure or threats.
This perspective is echoed by Michael Williams, a professor of public and international affairs at the University of Ottawa. He suggests Trump's policy seeks to solidify U.S. hemispheric hegemony by leveraging geographic and economic proximity. "The Trumpian vision sees the geographic proximity of these states (Canada, Mexico, Greenland/Denmark) and their close economic and military ties to the U.S., as signs of weakness and sources of leverage," Williams stated.
Key American Demands on the Table
Despite the broader strategy of domination, specific U.S. demands have been clearly outlined. In a closed-door meeting with U.S. Congress in December 2025, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer listed concessions Canada must make to preserve the trade agreement. The key issues include:
- Opening Canada's protected dairy market to significantly more American products.
- Reversing provincial bans that restrict U.S. alcohol sales.
- Revising Canada's Online Streaming Act and Online News Act, which Washington argues discriminate against U.S. tech and media firms by requiring them to fund Canadian content.
Greer explicitly criticized Canada for maintaining "policies that unfairly restrict market access for U.S. dairy products."
The conversation has also extended into the realm of national security. In a late September 2025 speech, President Trump linked Canada's potential participation in his multi-billion-dollar "Golden Dome" missile defence plan to a shocking suggestion. He recounted, "Canada called me a couple of weeks ago, they want to be part of it, to which I said, 'Well, why don't you just join our country. You become 51 – become the 51st state – and you get it for free.'"
Ettinger warns that this rhetoric, coupled with Trump's past expressed interest in purchasing Greenland, should alarm Canadians. "Nothing we've seen in Trump's five years as president should tell us that policy concessions to Trump will make Canada safe," he concluded. As 2026 progresses, navigating this complex and demanding relationship remains the foremost challenge for Prime Minister Mark Carney's government.
