U.S. Pacific commander dismisses notion of attacking Canada, jokes about Martians
During a joint press briefing, Admiral Samuel J. Paparo called the idea of a U.S. strike on Canada absurd and likened the question to asking about plans against Martians.
In a joint news conference concluding the Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defence summit, Admiral Samuel J. Paparo was confronted with a reporter’s query about the circumstances under which he might obey an order to attack Canada. Paparo responded that such a scenario was utterly preposterous, reaffirmed his duty to the commander-in-chief, and dismissed the question as needlessly emotional. He then added a tongue-in-cheek remark about being asked for attack plans against Martians, further indicating his view that the query was absurd.
The press conference, which also featured General Jennie Carignan, focused largely on Canada-U.S. military collaboration and the pending F-35 fighter jet decision. The moderator eventually shifted to another topic after the reporter persisted. The incident occurred while President Donald Trump has been publicly suggesting that Canada could become a “51st state” and has floated other territorial ambitions.
Why it matters
The episode highlights how U.S. military leaders publicly reject extreme hypothetical threats to a close ally, underscoring the stability of the Canada-U.S. partnership.
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