E-Paper
Top White House official pushes for Canada's exit from Five Eyes alliance: Report
It remained unclear whether US President Donald Trump supported his closest advisor Peter Navarro's proposal. But his officials are discussing it.
Peter Navarro, one of US President Donald Trump's closest advisers, is pushing for expelling Canada out of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance as POTUS presses in on the pressure on Ottawa, a country he wishes to turn into the 51st American state, The Financial Times reported.
The Five Eyes alliance, which includes the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, was founded in 1941, wherein the partner nations exchange a wide spectrum of intelligence within of the world's most tightly knit multilateral agreements as part of the collaboration.
Donald Trump, who wants to annex Canada, on Monday had announced that the 25 per cent tariffs planned for the country, along with Mexico, are "on time". He said the plan of tariffs on imports will go ahead as planned next month, when the March 4 deadline elapses.
ALSO READ | Donald Trump says 25% tariffs on Canada, Mexico ‘on time’ for March 4 deadline
Meanwhile, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is set to step down from the office on March 9, was earlier caught on mic saying that Donald Trump's aim to absorb Canada was a “real thing”.
Notably, it remained unclear whether the US President also supports his closest advisor Navarro's proposal.
‘Most successful intelligence-sharing arrangement’
Navarro, who holds direct access to the Oval Office, has argued that the US should mount pressure on Canada by removing it from the Five Eyes. The idea is reportedly being discussed by Trump officials.
Five Eyes has been described as "by far the most successful intelligence-sharing arrangement in world history" by Dennis Wilder, a former CIA official who was one of the main editor of the US president's daily intelligence briefing, the report mentioned.
The level of intimate intelligence relationship shared between the partner nations of this group goes to the extent of CIA-led Pine Gap satellite station in central Australia, one of the most significant sites for collecting intel about China.
ALSO READ | What is 'Five Eyes'- the global alliance which provided intelligence on Hardeep Nijjar killing?
Even though Canada and New Zealand contribute the least amount of intelligence in the group, evicting any member would trigger controversy from other allies, intelligence officials in Washington and beyond.
One of the officials of the Five Eyes, as cited by FT, said that expelling Canada from the network would be very dangerous. "Sitting where I'm sitting and looking at the array of threats that are coming at us we need all the partners we can get."
Meanwhile, a former White House strategist who played a key role in Trump's victory in 2016, Steve Bannon, said that Ottawa needed to realise that the US president was not trolling Trudeau. Rather, he was serious about wanting to annex the nation.
Bannon said that Canada lacked the resources to defend itself, especially when China is trying to become an Arctic power, adding that any move to evict Canada from the Five Eyes could turn out to be counter-productive move that would just result in America getting hurt.
"Canada punches way above their weight. If you look at military history, they have been the best ally we have had," Bannon was quoted by FT.
Notably, Navarro has a close relationship with Trump. The President has sometimes called him "my Peter" as well, naming him as a senior counsellor for trade and manufacturing in December 2024.
