If they become the 51st state: Trump offers Canada the "Golden Dome" for free

If they become the 51st state, Trump offers Canada the "Golden Dome" for free. May 28, 2025, 2:00 a.m.

US President Trump is making a new attempt at Canadian independence. If Canada joins the US, the missile defense shield would be free. Otherwise, it would cost $61 billion. Canada is reportedly considering the proposal.

US President Donald Trump has again offered Canada protection through his planned new missile defense system. If the northern neighbor remains "a separate but unequal" state, participation in the "Golden Dome" would cost $61 billion (approximately €54 billion), Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "But it will cost zero dollars if they become our cherished 51st state." Trump further wrote that Canada would consider this offer.

By the end of his term in just under four years, the Republican wants to build a "Golden Dome" for the United States, modeled on Israel's "Iron Dome." He had previously stated that Canada had expressed interest in participating. Media outlets consistently quoted Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as saying the idea was being considered at the highest levels of government.

However, the US President's statements about annexation are likely to cause great outrage, as they have in the past. During his inaugural visit to Washington, Carney issued a humorous but unequivocal rebuff to Trump's territorial ambitions: Canada, he emphasized, is not for sale.

Project costs in the three-digit billion range

Initial funding for the Golden Dome is estimated at $25 billion, with the total project costing approximately $175 billion. However, according to estimates by the Congressional Budget Office, the actual costs could be significantly higher.

Trump initiated the project by executive order shortly after his inauguration in January. The "Golden Dome" is intended to go far beyond existing US defense systems and would differ significantly from the Israeli model. The geographical and security conditions in the US are fundamentally different. Neither Mexico nor Canada pose a military threat. Furthermore, given the enormous size of the US, there are serious doubts about the effectiveness of a nationwide system.