Carney says Canada assessed extreme U.S. military risk

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he examined the possibility of U.S.-led military action against Canada as an extreme, low-probability risk, but declined to describe what the assessment or any preparations involved. He said in an interview published Wednesday that it would be irresponsible not to consider such a scenario, while emphasizing it was not the expected outcome. Carney’s remarks concerned a possibility he characterized as an “extreme tail risk,” a term used for events considered unlikely but potentially serious. The reporting on the interview does not establish that the United States planned or was preparing military action against Canada. Carney did not provide details about the scope of the Canadian government’s examination, whether it produced specific contingency plans, or what those plans might entail. The comments came amid strained relations between the neighboring countries. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly spoken about making Canada the 51st state. He ruled out using military force to annex Canada in January 2025 and said he would instead consider economic force.