US calls Canada’s bluff on defense spending; 'pauses' 86-year-old alliance



The Pentagon appears to be sending Ottawa a message: Rhetoric is no substitute for military capability.

The Department of Defense announced Monday it was “pausing” the 86-year-old Permanent Joint Board on Defense between the United States and Canada, according to Undersecretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby. The move comes amid mounting frustration in Washington over Canada’s chronic defense underinvestment — and Prime Minister Mark Carney’s increasingly confrontational rhetoric toward President Donald Trump.

'We can no longer avoid the gaps between rhetoric and reality. Real powers must sustain our shared defense and security responsibilities.'

Established in 1940 by President Franklin Roosevelt and Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King, the board became one of the earliest pillars of continental defense cooperation. Coming as Nazi Germany tightened its grip on Europe and fears grew over Atlantic security, the agreement reflected Roosevelt’s recognition that American and Canadian security could no longer be treated separately.

That alliance eventually evolved into NORAD and decades of deep military integration between the two countries.

All talk

Now Washington appears to be signaling that the relationship cannot continue on autopilot.

“We can no longer avoid the gaps between rhetoric and reality,” Colby wrote on X. “Real powers must sustain our rhetoric with shared defense and security responsibilities.”

Colby argued that while a militarily capable Canada benefits the United States, Ottawa has repeatedly failed to meet its defense commitments in a credible way.

The timing is awkward for Carney, whose government has loudly projected Canadian independence from Washington while remaining vague about how it intends to rebuild the country’s depleted armed forces.

RELATED: 'AMERICAN INVASION': Flailing Canada PM Mark Carney invokes historical grudge in latest lob at Trump

George Rose/Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Jet blues

Although Ottawa recently claimed the government had finally reached NATO’s benchmark of spending 2% of GDP on defense, critics have questioned how the government arrived at that number. Media reports have indicated that the Liberals counted items such as landscaping at military bases and civilian airport infrastructure upgrades as defense expenditures.

More tellingly, Carney’s April 28 Spring Economic Statement reportedly contained little detail on major procurement priorities.

That uncertainty now extends to Canada’s planned purchase of 88 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets. Despite years of delays and political debate, the Carney government is still reviewing the order, with Defense Minister David McGuinty recently confirming that alternatives remain under consideration.

One possibility floated by Ottawa is a mixed fleet pairing the American-made F-35 with Sweden’s Saab Gripen fighter. But U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra has repeatedly warned that Canada’s role in NORAD could be jeopardized if Ottawa fails to follow through on the full F-35 purchase.

Buy or beware

The concern is not merely political but operational. Every branch of the U.S. military that flies fighter aircraft is transitioning to the F-35 platform, which is also used by several of Canada’s closest defense partners, including the British Royal Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. Hoekstra has argued that the Gripen would create interoperability problems inside a continental defense structure increasingly built around the F-35 ecosystem.

For Washington, the frustration is becoming increasingly obvious: Canada wants the diplomatic stature and moral authority of a serious middle power while continuing to hesitate on the military commitments required to sustain that role.

The Pentagon’s decision to pause the defense board may ultimately prove symbolic. But symbols matter in alliances — especially when they come from Washington.

After decades of assuming continental defense cooperation was automatic, the United States now appears willing to publicly question whether Canada is prepared to carry its share of the burden.

Scare at Mar-a-Lago after yet another plane violates airspace, causing F-16 fighter jets to scramble



A civilian aircraft violated the restricted airspace above Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach on Saturday, according to military officials.

Two F-16 fighter jets scrambled to respond to the plane at about 4:20 p.m., and flares were also fired to get the pilot's attention, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

'Adherence to [temporary flight restriction] procedures is essential to ensure flight safety, national security, and the security of the president.'

The aircraft was escorted out of the restriction zone.

"The flares, which may have been visible to the public, are used with the highest regard for safety, burn out quickly and completely, and pose no danger to people on the ground," read a statement from NORAD.

NORAD said that there had been multiple violations of the restricted airspace by "general aviation aircraft" earlier in the week.

The temporary flight restrictions are issued by the Federal Aviation Administration whenever the president is visiting his residence in Florida. When a violation is detected, air traffic controllers warn pilots, and fighter jets are scrambled to intercept planes if they do not respond.

There have been about 40 instances of airspace violations near Mar-a-Lago since Trump took office in January, NORAD says.

After one violation in March, NORAD commander Gen. Gregory Guillot expressed frustration that pilots aren't attentive enough to the alerts about avoiding restricted airspace, called NOTAMs.

"Adherence to [temporary flight restriction] procedures is essential to ensure flight safety, national security, and the security of the president," said Guillot in a statement at the time. "The procedures are not optional."

RELATED: 'Radar anomaly' triggers airspace closure; senator warns of EMP risks

"Trust us on this ... you don't want to spend your Thanksgiving explaining to the #FAA or local law enforcement that you didn't check your NOTAMs," read a statement from NORAD on Wednesday. "#NORAD has already escorted one general aviation pilot out of the #FAA restricted airspace near Palm Beach today. Don't be next, check NOTAMs before every flight."

NORAD is a joint organization between Canadian and U.S. forces to monitor and defend North American airspace. It was first established in 1957 and includes high-ranking members of the Royal Canadian Air Force as well as the U.S. Air Force.

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Fighter jet executes 'headbutt' maneuver as 11 planes breach restricted airspace above Trump's NJ retreat over weekend



A total of 11 aircraft violated the restricted airspace over New Jersey during President Donald Trump's July Fourth weekend visit, prompting a fighter jet to be scrambled, according to authorities.

The First Air Force — also known as Air Forces Northern, which is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida — announced in a statement that 11 civilian aircraft breached the temporary flight restriction airspace over Bedminster, New Jersey, where President Trump was spending the holiday weekend.

'No excuses! Stay sharp, stay legal, and stay out of restricted airspace.'

"This morning’s intercept, followed by two later [temporary flight restriction] violations, brings the total to 11 unauthorized incursions into restricted airspace this weekend," the First Air Force stated on Sunday.

North American Aerospace Defense Command scrambled a fighter jet to intercept unauthorized aircraft violating the temporary flight restriction in the airspace over the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, approximately 40 miles west of New York City.

Around 2:40 p.m. on Saturday, a fighter jet intercepted a civilian aircraft and executed a "headbutt" maneuver before safely escorting the plane out of the restricted airspace, Fox News reported.

The headbutt maneuver is an aerial interception technique used by military planes to visually alert and redirect an unauthorized aircraft that has violated restricted airspace. The military airplane will fly in close proximity to the unauthorized aircraft before cutting in front of the nose of the civilian aircraft, according to Newsweek.

An F-16 jet carried out a headbutt maneuver on a "general aviation aircraft" near the airspace around Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort on April 4, Newsweek reported.

As Blaze News reported in March, F-16 fighter jets intercepted two unauthorized aircraft that had breached a temporary flight restriction in Florida when President Trump was at Mar-a-Lago in West Palm Beach.

RELATED: Key US Air Force base shut down over drone activity as aerospace CEO unveils chilling theory on wave of mysterious drones

— (@)

James Gagnon — a former NORAD Operations Division Operations Standards Branch chief — revealed the procedure for when an aircraft violates the temporary flight restriction.

"When an aircraft enters a TFR that is not in contact with air traffic control and fighters are available, we'll have the fighter aircraft escort them out of the TFR," Gagnon explained.

"It's these people who are not on a flight plan or are flying VFR (Visual Flight Rules)," Gagnon continued. "They're not talking to anybody, and FAA doesn't know who they are. It's much easier when you're talking to the guy."

NORAD noted that if the pilot of the unauthorized aircraft does not respond, the military plane will employ "more aggressive tactics such as dropping flares and performing 'headbutt' maneuvers, the rough equivalent of giving someone a shove and saying, 'Hey, you!'"

A NORAD spokesperson told Reuters that the fighter jet involved in the intercept was an F-16.

RELATED: 2 males accused of operating drone 'dangerously close' to Boston's Logan Airport

Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The First Air Force cautioned pilots: "These TFRs are in place for a reason. No excuses! Stay sharp, stay legal, and stay out of restricted airspace."

NORAD warned pilots, "It is critically important for North American flight safety that temporary flight restriction (TFR) violations are avoided. All pilots must familiarize themselves with updates to restricted airspace, including reviewing new and existing FAA [Notice to Airmen] that impact their flight plans and activities. Adhering to FAA restricted airspace protocols is mandatory, regardless of geographical region, airframe, or aircrew."

Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, the commander of NORAD, stated on Sunday, "NORAD and the FAA aim to keep the skies over America safe, with close attention paid to areas with temporary flight restrictions (TFR) to ensure flight safety, national security, and the security of the president."

Guillot stressed, "TFR procedures are mandatory, and the excessive number of TFR violations this weekend indicates some civil aviators are not reading Notice to Airmen, or NOTAMs, before each flight as required by the FAA."

Guillot warned that any unauthorized aircraft in temporary flight restriction airspace will be intercepted by an armed fighter aircraft from NORAD.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, pilots who violate TFRs can face fines and certificate suspensions or revocations, depending on the severity of the violation.

NORAD is a joint organization between the United States and Canada that is tasked with "the missions of aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America," and includes "monitoring of man-made objects in space and the detection, validation, and warning of attack against North America whether by aircraft, missiles, or space vehicles, through mutual support arrangements with other commands."

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Cheapskate Canada 'threatens' NORAD? Trump dangles 51st-state solution



Canada could soon be booted from NORAD, the binational aerospace defense system it has shared with the U.S. since 1958.

The reason? Once again backing away from its commitment to replace its decrepit F-18s with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the jet that is used by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and Marines.

Canada has a long history of ... putting off the acquisition of military aircraft until they are nearing obsolescence when finally delivered.

Canada needs to buy the F-35 to be compatible with the U.S., as well as with the other principal allies that Canada also flies with: the U.K. and Australia.

East Alaska?

But President Donald Trump hinted at a way his penny-pinching neighbors to the north could get around the costly upgrade: Join the U.S. as its 51st state.

Who needs NORAD when you can enjoy the benefits of Trump's ambitious Golden Dome missile defense shield — free of charge?

“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,” Trump posted on Truth Social Tuesday.

“They are considering the offer!” the president couldn't resist adding.

Straight man

Canada was quick to play the straight man to Trump's trolling.

A spokesperson for Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney said: “The prime minister has been clear at every opportunity, including in his conversations with president Trump, that Canada is an independent, sovereign nation, and it will remain one,” according to the Financial Times.

Carney ordered a review of the F-35 purchase in March, insisting that Canada could be better served with fighter jets produced by Sweden, France, or the U.K. Although Britain remains a primary military partner, Canada does virtually no military training or operations with Sweden or France.

That suggestion has prompted U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra to note that any cancellation of the F-35 contract would have serious consequences for Canada — including threatening NORAD, over which the two countries have maintained joint command of operations for almost 60 years.

Plane speaking

“I think that's worked pretty well for the U.S., and it's worked well for Canada. It's, I think, one of the only, if not the only, bilateral military relationship in the world. So I think it would, but, I mean, there's criteria, OK, and some of those criteria are being questioned right now,” Hoekstra told CTV News.

Hoekstra continued:

One of the criteria for NORAD is interchangeability and interoperability. So that would mean that, you know, we're flying the same kinds of planes, we're using the parts, and, you know, it's all interchangeable. It's one system. You know, Canada is challenging that; they've made a decision to buy F-35s; that's now up for review. If Canadians are flying one airplane, we're flying another airplane, it's no longer interchangeable. And so that might even threaten NORAD, without talking about new alliances that promise even more security and safety to our people.

It’s not clear whether Hoekstra’s comments were designed for Trump to open the door on Golden Dome negotiations, but he has nonetheless exposed one of the more absurd and potentially tragic exercises in Canadian military procurement.

Jet set

Canada has a long history of either sabotaging its own aerospace industry — as with the cancellation of the famed Avro Arrow in 1958 — or by putting off the acquisition of military aircraft until they are nearing obsolescence when finally delivered.

The F-35 is another case in point. Canada has dithered so long on its decision to buy or not to buy that sixth-generation fighter jet technology is now on the horizon.

Incredibly, the government of Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien first signed on to the F-35 program in 2002. Even though that was almost 25 years ago, Canada has managed through successive governments never to see the delivery of one aircraft.

Chretien refused to make a decision on the F-35, as did his successor, Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who toyed with Canada’s air force for nine years over the deal. Meanwhile, the military continued to fly the F-18/A, as it had since 1982.

Today, those jets are over 45 years old.

Justin Trudeau campaigned in 2015 on a pledge never to buy the F-35, but after eight years of reviewing other aircraft, he flip-flopped on that promise in January 2023 and agreed to buy 88 of the jets at a cost of $85 million (USD) each.

Hoekstra's comments sent a clear message: fish or cut bait. Enough with using military spending as a political poker chip; upgrade to the F-35 or leave NORAD.

In response, Carney offered more dithering.

"The review of the F-35 contract is ongoing," he said at a news conference last week. "There's many factors that come into that interoperability that would relate to the NORAD element. There’s value for money, broader Canadian industrial impacts. All of those are factors that are under consideration."

2 airplanes venture too close to Trump, Mar-a-Lago for defense agency's comfort



Two aircraft flew too close to President Donald Trump's Florida estate over the weekend, prompting a stern warning from the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

On Friday, Trump left the White House to spend the weekend at Mar-a-Lago in West Palm Beach, Florida, the fifth time he has done so since his second term began in late January. Trump's presence then automatically triggered a temporary flight restriction for the area near Mar-a-Lago, but at least two pilots apparently didn't get the memo.

'Adherence to TFR procedures is essential to ensure flight safety, national security, and the security of the president.'

At approximately 8:50 a.m. on Saturday, one aircraft entered the restricted space. Then a second airplane — described as "a civilian aircraft" — violated the TFR barely 24 hours later, at 1:15 p.m. on Sunday, NORAD said in a statement.

In both instances, an F-16 fighter jet from the Continental U.S. NORAD Region was forced to intervene, and according to NORAD, the second aircraft "was safely escorted out of the area."

During these incidents, flares were also used "to draw attention from or communicate with the pilot," NORAD said. These flares, though highly visible, "burn out quickly and completely" and therefore posed "no danger to people on the ground."

Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander of NORAD and the U.S. Northern Command, expressed frustration about the apparent security breaches.

"Adherence to TFR procedures is essential to ensure flight safety, national security, and the security of the president," Guillot said in a statement. "The procedures are not optional."

According to NORAD, fully 20 aircraft have violated TFRs near Mar-a-Lago just since Trump took office a few weeks ago. Guillot placed the blame on pilots, claiming they are not doing their duty and keeping apprised of all notices to airmen, often referred to as NOTAMs, posted for the area, "as required by the FAA."

"Pilots, please check NOTAMs!" NORAD pleaded on X.

— (@)

The news of the apparent TFR violations near Mar-a-Lago comes on the heels of reports of an armed gunman shot by Secret Service agents near the White House early Sunday morning, when Trump was still in Florida. The suspect has been described as emotionally disturbed and possibly "suicidal."

Founded in 1958, NORAD is joint agency between the United States and Canada "charged with the missions of aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America," according to its website. The NORAD leadership team comprises high-ranking members of the U.S. and Royal Canadian Air Forces.

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Balloon intercepted above Utah not a national security threat, NORAD reportedly says



A balloon that was intercepted above Utah does not pose a national security threat, the North American Aerospace Defense Command indicated, according to Fox News Digital.

"In close coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected a small balloon at an altitude varying between 43,000-45,000 ft," NORAD indicated, according to the outlet. "The balloon was intercepted by NORAD fighters over Utah, who determined it was not maneuverable and did not present a threat to national security. NORAD will continue to track and monitor the balloon. The FAA also determined the balloon posed no hazard to flight safety. NORAD remains in close coordination with the FAA to ensure flight safety."

CBS News reported that a U.S. official told the outlet that it was anticipated that the balloon would be above Georgia by Friday night.

"Shoot it down. Protect our country," tweeted South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican.

"Shoot down the Spy balloon immediately!!!" GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia tweeted.

Last year, President Joe Biden came under heavy scrutiny for allowing a Chinese balloon to remain aloft in U.S. skies before finally moving to down it off the coast of South Carolina.

"Last year, the CCP sent a spy balloon to fly over Montana skies, and we still have yet to uncover the whole story. One year later, another unknown balloon is flying over American territory, and we know NOTHING," GOP Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana tweeted.

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Did Biden authorize fighter jets to use $400,000 missiles to shoot down hobby club's balloon?



It appears that one of the objects President Joe Biden authorized fighter jets to shoot down last week may have been nothing more than a hobby club's balloon.

While the government has not confirmed what pilots downed over the Yukon in northern Canada, the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade said one of its balloons is "missing in action." That balloon was last seen off the coast of Alaska last Saturday morning.

The trajectory of the balloon's flight tracks with the object that a U.S. Air Force F-22 shot down on Saturday using a AIM-9X Sidewinder missile. Each missile costs more than $400,000.

\u201cAs @BalloonSciDan pointed correctly a few days ago the USAF may have shot down an amateur radio pico balloon (callsign K9YO-15) over Canada. \n\nhttps://t.co/IHzB5ffW96\u201d
— StratoCat (@StratoCat) 1676569396

More from Aviation Week:

But the circumstantial evidence is at least intriguing. The club’s silver-coated, party-style, “pico balloon” reported its last position on Feb. 10 at 38,910 ft. off the west coast of Alaska, and a popular forecasting tool—the HYSPLIT model provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—projected the cylindrically shaped object would be floating high over the central part of the Yukon Territory on Feb. 11.

In fact, according to Aviation Week, "descriptions of all three unidentified objects shot down Feb. 10-12 match the shapes, altitudes and payloads of the small pico balloons."

President Joe Biden confirmed that intelligence officials believe the unidentified flying objects were balloons.

"The intelligence community’s current assessment is that these three objects were most likely balloons tied to private companies, recreation, or research institutions studying weather or conducting other scientific research," Biden said on Thursday.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command, meanwhile, disclosed that the FBI has spoken to the Illinois hobbyist club whose balloon was likely targeted.

"I have no information for you from NORAD on the objects," said NORAD spokesperson Air Force Col. Elizabeth Mathias. "I understand FBI spoke with that hobby group, and I expect the [National Security Council] task force to have more on the potential identification of the objects."

A top Canadian general has also said the downed object is a "suspected balloon." Recovery of its debris has been hampered by its remote crash location.

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Watch MSNBC Host Struggle to Ignore WH Press Sec. Mispronouncing Canada | DM CLIPS | Rubin Report
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Watch MSNBC Host Struggle to Ignore WH Press Sec. Mispronouncing Canada | DM CLIPS | Rubin Report

Defense Department officials: 'aliens' not ruled out as source behind flying objects shot down over US



Department of Defense officials declined to rule out the possibility that objects recently shot down over the United States could have extraterrestrial origins.

"I haven't ruled anything out," General Glen VanHerck said in an off-camera briefing after an F-16 fighter jet shot down an unidentified flying object over Lake Huron on Sunday — the third such object shot down in as many days.

Gen. VanHerck was responding to a question posed by Helene Cooper, a Pentagon correspondent with the New York Times.

"Have you ruled out aliens or extraterrestrials? And if so, why? Because that is what everyone is asking us right now," Cooper asked.

"I'll let the intel community and the counterintelligence community figure that out," the general answered. m"At this point, we continue to assess every threat or potential threats unknown that approaches North America with an attempt to identify it."

Melissa Dalton, assistant secretary of defense for Homeland Defense and Hemispheric Affairs, began the briefing by assuring listeners that U.S. officials "aim to be transparent about our military operations."

"Because we have not yet been able to definitively assess what these recent objects are, we have acted out of an abundance of caution to protect our security and interests," she said.

Dalton explained that since the military took down a Chinese balloon off the coast of South Carolina on February 4, officials had been "more closely scrutinizing our air space at these altitudes, including enhancing our radar."

She added that this radar enhancement and ramped-up scrutiny could partially explain the increase in objects detected over the past several days.

U.S. fighter jets took down the most recent object over Lake Huron on the day of the Department of Defense briefing, Super Bowl Sunday. Jets also successfully used missiles to shoot down unidentified flying objects over Alaska and Canada on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a temporary flight restriction Saturday at 3:20 local time over Harve, Montana, only to lift the TFR about an hour later.

Initially chalked up to a "radar anomaly," the object spotted over Montana on Saturday is reportedly the same object a U.S. F-16 shot down over Lake Huron on Sunday.

Multiple Montana and Michigan elected officials thanked the service members who acted to protect our homeland, while also emphasizing their commitment to seeking answers.

One congressman, Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), shared more pointed comments. Rosendale suggested Biden administration officials can't be expected to "know the difference between a spy balloon and a cloud" since they "can't tell the difference between a man and a woman."

\u201cIf the Biden administration can\u2019t tell the difference between a man and a woman, how can we expect them to know the difference between a spy balloon, and a cloud?\u201d
— Matt Rosendale (@Matt Rosendale) 1676226969

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Top military commander confirms key detail that Pentagon official omitted to incite criticism against Trump



A top military commander admitted Monday there had been a "domain awareness gap" during the Trump administration, allowing three Chinese spy balloons to gather intelligence on the U.S. undetected.

"Every day as a NORAD commander, it's my responsibility to detect threats to North America. I will tell you that we did not detect those threats," said Gen. Glen VanHerck, commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command.

"And that's a domain awareness gap that we have to figure out, but I don’t want to go into further detail," he added.

What is the background?

The shocking disclosure comes after an unnamed senior defense official claimed on Saturday that three Chinese "government surveillance balloons transited the continental United States briefly" under former President Donald Trump's watch.

Democrats immediately used the allegation to defend President Joe Biden from criticism stemming from his response to the spy balloon recently seen in American air space and subsequently criticize Trump.

But a score of senior Trump administration officials, those who led the national security apparatus, quickly pushed back on the allegation and publicly disputed it. None of them had recollection of any such event occurring under Trump.

Gen. VanHerck confirmed what the Wall Street Journal and Fox News reported earlier — that Chinese spy balloons did cross over the U.S., but they somehow went undetected.

Unfortunately, it's not clear exactly who told the media about the Chinese spy balloon incursions under Trump only to mislead reporters by conveniently omitting the fact that the incursions were not discovered until after Trump left office. The Washington Free Beacon noted the identity of the "senior defense official" could help inform the public "whether the Pentagon is also helping Biden combat the public relations crisis over the balloon."

The Pentagon, however, refused to identify the "senior defense official" because Saturday's media briefing was conducted on "background" and thus was not officially on the record.

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