The United States has issued a blunt warning to Canada amid growing speculation that Ottawa could reconsider its planned purchase of F-35 fighter jets, a move US officials say could seriously strain bilateral relations.
The warning follows renewed political debate inside Canada over the long-term cost and strategic value of the multibillion-dollar defense agreement, which would see the country replace its aging fighter fleet with American-made stealth aircraft.
Officials aligned with former US president Donald Trump framed the potential pullback as a national security issue, arguing that abandoning the deal would undermine military cooperation between the two neighbors and weaken North American defense coordination.
Canada previously committed to buying dozens of F-35 jets as part of a broader modernization plan, but concerns over rising maintenance costs and shifting defense priorities have prompted internal reviews, according to a report on the ongoing discussions.
US defense officials have emphasized that the agreement supports thousands of jobs across the aerospace supply chain and ensures interoperability with allied forces, warning that reversing course could have long-term diplomatic and economic consequences.
Critics of the US response argue that Canada has the right to reassess major military spending decisions, especially as global security threats evolve and domestic budget pressures grow.
For now, Canadian officials have not announced any formal cancellation, and negotiations remain active behind closed doors. Defense analysts note that similar reviews have occurred in the past without derailing the program, a point highlighted in a recent analysis of the F-35 program.
Whether the US warning escalates into concrete action remains unclear, but the episode underscores rising tensions over defense spending and political leverage between close allies.