A Department of National Defence survey has found more Canadians identified U.S. President Donald Trump as the country's biggest security threat than either China or Russia, following months of warnings from the federal government that Trump wanted to undermine Canada's sovereignty.The findings, contained in the Defence Department's Views Of The Canadian Armed Forces 2025-2026 Tracking Study, showed 19% of respondents named Trump as the greatest threat to Canada's security or sovereignty. Another 15% cited Canada's proximity to the United States, while only 1% identified either China or Russia.Blacklock's Reporter said participants were asked: "What do you think is the biggest threat to the security or sovereignty of Canada?"Beyond Trump and Canada's geographic location, respondents also identified Arctic sovereignty (4%), a lack of funding for the Canadian Armed Forces (3%), and Trump's repeated suggestion that Canada become the 51st state (3%) as significant concerns.The report found regional differences in opinion.Respondents in Atlantic Canada were the most likely to identify Trump as the country's biggest threat, with 24% giving that response, compared with 15% in Alberta.The study also found respondents in Quebec and Ontario (16%) and Alberta and British Columbia (14%) were more likely to view the United States as a threat than those in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, where only 7% held that view.The findings were based on 12 focus groups and questionnaires completed by 2,318 Canadians nationwide. National Defence paid Ottawa-based Quorus Consulting Group $151,962 to conduct the research.The polling followed repeated public statements by Liberal ministers portraying Trump as a direct threat to Canada.During the 2025 federal election campaign, Prime Minister Mark Carney warned voters that Trump intended to weaken Canada."Trump claims Canada isn't a real country," Carney said. "He wants to break us so America can own us. We will not let that happen.".Former prime minister Justin Trudeau voiced similar concerns while in office."His goal is to destroy the Canadian economy so he can try to annex the country," Trudeau said. "That seems to be what he wants."Speaking to reporters on Feb. 1, 2025, Trudeau also invoked Canada's military history while urging Canadians to remain united."From the beaches of Normandy to the mountains of the Korean peninsula, from the fields of Flanders to the streets of Kandahar, we have fought and died," Trudeau said. "Show solidarity. Many of us will be affected by all of this. We will experience difficult times. I ask you to be there for each other."The Defence Department was not alone in measuring public opinion on Trump.Records show the Privy Council Office also commissioned research into Canadians' views of the U.S. president. Its 2025 report, Continuous Qualitative Data Collection Of Canadians' Views, found many participants expected a future Trump administration would pressure Ottawa to significantly increase defence spending.
