Washington: Even as President Donald Trump threatened Canada with tariffs and also said that he was looking to include the country as the 51st state of the US, one of his closest associates in the White House has suggested the expulsion of North American country from Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network
Notably, the Five Eyes (FVEY) is an intelligence-sharing alliance that includes the United States, United Kingdom,, Australia, New Zealand, and Canda. It is considered one of the most extensive intelligence networks across the globe.
Not clear whether Trump supports the idea
According to the Financial Times, Navarro wants the US to put further pressure on Canada by removing it from the alliance. It is however not clear yet on whether Trump supports the idea. The proposal is, however, being discussed among his officials.
Speaking about the report, former White House strategist Steve Bannon pointed out that Trump is serious about annexation and just provoking Canadian PM Trudeau, which Ottawa must understand. He further noted that, while Canada does not have the resources to defend itself, removing the country from the Five Eyes alliance could be counterproductive and might farm the US in return.
‘Canada punches way above their weight’
“Canada punches way above their weight. If you look at military history, they’ve been the best ally we’ve had,” the paper quoted him as saying further. Importantly, Trudeau is set to step down on March 9. Recently, he was caught saying on an open mic that Trump’s plan to capture the US’s northern neighbour is a “real thing”.
Earlier on Monday, US President Donald Trump said he would continue with his plan to impose a 25 percent tariff on most imports from Canada in the coming days. He added that Canada ripped off the US for too long and it was now time to stop it. He also said that the move to implement those tariffs was moving very rapidly.
