Trending 
The United States (US) has suspended cooperation with Canada in an 86-year-old joint defence advisory body, marking another strain in relations between the two neighbouring countries.
US Undersecretary of Defence, Elbridge Colby, announced on Monday in a post on X that the Pentagon was “pausing” participation in the Permanent Joint Board on Defence.
Explaining the move, Colby said, “A strong Canada that prioritises hard power over rhetoric benefits us all. Unfortunately, Canada has failed to make credible progress on its defence commitments. We can no longer avoid the gaps between rhetoric and reality,” he stated, referring to remarks that were made by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
A strong Canada that prioritizes hard power over rhetoric benefits us all. Unfortunately, Canada has failed to make credible progress on its defense commitments. DoW is pausing the Permanent Joint Board on Defense to reassess how this forum benefits shared North American…
— Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby (@USWPColby) May 18, 2026
The decision comes during the growing tensions between Washington and Ottawa under President Donald Trump, who has imposed tariffs on Canada and repeatedly suggested the country should become America’s “51st state.”
The Joint Defence Board was established in 1940 by former US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and former Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King.
