U.S. Pauses Canada Military Board, Cites Defense Spending
The U.S. Defense Department has suspended the Permanent Joint Board on Defense, citing Canada's failure to meet defense spending commitments.
The United States is pausing its long-standing military advisory board with Canada, raising tensions over defense spending and NATO commitments. Elbridge Colby, undersecretary of defense, announced the move Monday via social media, stating the U.S. is suspending the Permanent Joint Board on Defense to "reassess how this forum benefits shared North American defense."
Colby's statement directly accused Canada of failing to make "credible progress on its defense commitments." The board, established in 1940, serves as an advisory forum for U.S.-Canada bilateral defense cooperation and has functioned continuously through the Cold War and post-9/11 era. Its suspension signals a significant shift in how Washington views its military relationship with Ottawa.
The move lands amid broader U.S. pressure on NATO allies to increase defense spending. Canada has historically allocated a smaller percentage of GDP to military budgets compared to other NATO members, and the Trump administration has repeatedly pressured allied nations to boost spending. For Montrealers and Canadians, the board's pause carries real implications—it signals deteriorating military-to-military coordination on continental security matters.
The suspension doesn't end cooperation but introduces uncertainty into a relationship that has been one of the most stable in North American geopolitics. Canada will need to respond to the specific defense spending criticism or risk further cooling of military ties.