Canada is falling short of its defense spending commitments to NATO, and a senior Pentagon official has now confirmed that the United States is reviewing the terms of Canada’s participation in the F-35 joint strike fighter program. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Canada’s failure to meet the alliance’s target of spending two percent of GDP on defense has raised serious questions in Washington about Ottawa’s reliability as a military partner. The review comes as the U.S. pushes all NATO members to accelerate defense investments, with the Trump administration making clear that burden-sharing is no longer a suggestion but a condition of continued cooperation.
The F-35 program, the most expensive weapons system in history, has long been a cornerstone of Canada’s plan to modernize its aging fighter fleet. Ottawa committed to purchasing 88 F-35s in 2022, a deal valued at roughly $19 billion. But the Pentagon’s review signals that the U.S. may reconsider Canada’s industrial participation in the program, including lucrative maintenance and supply chain contracts that were promised to Canadian firms. This is not the first time Canada has faced scrutiny over defense spending. For years, NATO allies have pressed Ottawa to increase its military budget, which currently hovers around 1.4 percent of GDP, well below the two percent threshold.
For Las Vegas, the implications are more than just geopolitical. Nellis Air Force Base, home to the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center and a key hub for F-35 training and testing, has deep ties to the program. Canadian pilots and maintainers have trained at Nellis for decades, and any disruption to the F-35 partnership could affect the base’s international training operations. Local defense contractors who supply components for the F-35 could also feel the ripple effects if Canada’s role in the supply chain is reduced. As the Pentagon’s review continues, the message from Washington is clear: Canada must pay its share, or risk losing its place at the table.
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