Canada has discreetly formulated a chilling contingency plan modelled on insurgency warfare to respond to a potential invasion by the United States, as former President Donald Trump continues to stoke alarm with provocative talk of annexation. According to a report by The Globe and Mail, senior government officials have confirmed the existence of this theoretical framework, which outlines how Canadian forces would resort to guerrilla tactics if overwhelmed by their powerful southern neighbour.
Insurgency-Style Warfare as Theoretical Response
The newspaper revealed that the Canadian military has developed a conceptual model for responding to an American takeover, following Trump's resumption of online musings about absorbing Canada into the United States. Citing two unnamed senior government officials, the report indicates this response would rely on insurgency-style warfare, echoing tactics historically used by fighters in Afghanistan who resisted Soviet and later US forces.
Despite this extraordinary planning exercise, officials stressed they believe it remains unlikely that Trump would actually order an invasion of Canada. The model being developed is described as "a conceptual and theoretical framework, not a military plan" – meaning it lacks the actionable, step-by-step directives that would characterise actual operational planning.
Trump's Provocative Rhetoric and Social Media Posts
Following his 2024 election victory and during the early months of his new term, Trump repeatedly referred to Canada as the United States' 51st state, claiming a merger would benefit Canadians. Although his annexation rhetoric has cooled in recent months, concerns were reignited when Trump shared an image on his social media platform showing a map of Canada and Venezuela draped in the US flag – a move widely interpreted as implying a full American takeover of both countries.
According to the officials, if an invasion were to occur, US forces could overwhelm Canadian positions on land and at sea in as little as two days. With Canada lacking the military resources to withstand a direct assault from its powerful neighbour, any resistance would necessarily take the form of a prolonged insurgency involving ambushes and hit-and-run tactics.
Warning Signs and International Implications
The Globe and Mail added that defence planners believe there would be unmistakable warning signs if the US were preparing to invade, including a decision by Washington to end bilateral cooperation under NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defence Command. In such a scenario, Canada would likely appeal to traditional allies Britain and France for assistance.
The revelations come as both Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attend the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where tensions over territorial ambitions have already overshadowed proceedings. This year's gathering of global political and financial elites has been dominated by Trump's threats to seize Greenland – a move that has strained NATO, the transatlantic military alliance of which Canada is a member.
Escalating Transatlantic Tensions
Trump's demand for US control of the Danish territory has tested alliance unity, with Carney reportedly considering sending a small contingent of Canadian troops to Greenland as a symbolic show of support. European leaders have expressed strong objections to the US President's demands, prompting Trump to threaten nations with new tariffs if they stand in his way.
Amid an increasingly acrimonious trans-Atlantic row, the President announced on his Truth Social platform that from February 1, the US would impose a 10 per cent tariff on all exports from several European nations including Denmark, France, Germany, and the UK – increasing it to 25 per cent in June. The EU is now weighing whether to deploy its so-called trade 'bazooka' for the first time in retaliation, an economic tool that would hit the US with approximately £81 billion in tariffs.
European leaders have responded with defiance to Trump's tariff threats. "Europe won't be blackmailed," declared Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, after EU leaders signed a joint statement warning of a "dangerous downward spiral" in the event of a trade war between the transatlantic allies.
Diplomatic Exchanges and Global Reactions
The US President also posted a text exchange he shared with the Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, during which the official wrote: "I am committed to finding a way forward on Greenland. Can't wait to see you. Yours, Mark." Trump is expected to arrive in Davos on Wednesday, where he is due to deliver a special address at the World Economic Forum.
Business leaders, including CEOs in financial services, cryptocurrency, and consulting sectors, have been invited to a reception following Trump's address to the WEF's annual meeting. The agenda remains somewhat unclear, with one CEO simply noting "a reception in honour of President Donald J Trump" in their diary, while another indicated their understanding was that global CEOs had been invited, not just those from the United States.
The WEF agenda has, to some extent, been overtaken by the US President's dramatic policy moves, including his recent demands regarding Greenland. Certain EU leaders have issued strong responses following Trump's tariff threats to member states, while others have called for calm and diplomatic solutions to the potential trade dispute.
"We will not allow ourselves to be blackmailed," stated Lars Klingbeil, Germany's vice chancellor, at a press conference in Berlin alongside French Economy Minister Roland Lescure. "Europe will respond with a united, clear response, and we are now preparing countermeasures together with our European partners."
