Context:

President Donald Trump has consistently made false claims about Canada's military spending, trade deficit with the US, and other economic and political issues. Contrary to Trump's assertions, Canada is not the lowest military spender in NATO, and its contributions to NATO's budget are substantial. Official statistics contradict Trump's claim of a $200 billion trade deficit with Canada, showing a much smaller figure, and his statements about Canada's trade reliance on the US are also exaggerated. Trump has falsely portrayed Canada as having high tariffs and being resistant to US agricultural products, while in reality, Canada is a significant importer of US goods with relatively low tariffs. Additionally, Trump's suggestions about Canada wanting to become the 51st US state and being surrounded by Russian and Chinese threats have no basis in fact and are widely rejected by Canadians and their leaders.

Dive Deeper:

• Trump inaccurately described Canada's military spending as one of the lowest globally and within NATO, while in reality, Canada ranks eighth in absolute terms and sixth in contributions to NATO's budget.

• The claim of a $200 billion US trade deficit with Canada is unsubstantiated, with official figures showing a deficit of $35.7 billion in goods and services in 2024, far less than Trump's exaggerated numbers.

• Trump's assertion that Canada conducts 95% of its trade with the US is a significant exaggeration, as official statistics show the figure to be around 75.9% for exports and 62.2% for imports.

• Despite Trump's claims, Canada is not among the highest tariffing nations, and its tariffs on US agricultural products are generally low, with many goods entering tariff-free under agreements like the USMCA.

• Trump wrongly claimed that Canada bans US banks; in truth, US banks have a substantial presence in Canada, with numerous subsidiaries and branches operating across the country.

• The idea that Canada desires to become part of the US is overwhelmingly unpopular among Canadians and their leaders, contradicting Trump's statements.

• Trump's comments about Canada being surrounded by Russian and Chinese ships are false, with no evidence supporting such claims, as the Canadian military actively monitors any foreign activity in its vicinity.