After promising to meet a NATO spending target before the end of 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney's government quietly failed to meet that commitment.

In June, the Carney Liberals promised to spend 2% of GDP on military spending, the share of the national economy Canada agreed to — but failed to meet — as part of the alliance.

With President Donald Trump encouraging member states to increase spending, NATO raised the 2% commitment to 5% in 2025.

“If we want a better world, we will have to make difficult choices and work harder than we’ve had to in decades. Government must start by fulfilling its most fundamental role which is to defend Canadians,” Carney said at the time, as reported by Blacklock's Reporter.

On Tuesday's Rebel Roundup livestream, hosts Sheila Gunn Reid and Lise Merle looked at what the Carney Liberals failure means as the U.S. amps up rhetoric and action around national security interests.

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At the time, Carney was “all about” how Canada would finally start meeting NATO requirements, Lise said, noting Trump was “really mad” about the country's lax attitude towards national defence.

“It took six months for Carney to go, 'actually, hmm, maybe not.' The messaging was all about how Canada was going to fulfill its obligations under NATO,” ahead of the G7 summit, she continued. “Now, we see that we haven't done that at all. Interesting.”

The “empty promises” were “just to buy time,” said Sheila. “We're $10 billion short of meeting the bare minimum for our NATO spending. The bare minimum.”

With Trump once again focusing on the Arctic and Greenland, Carney reiterated Canada's commitment to supporting the territorial integrity of Denmark, which currently controls the island.

Sheila suggested Canada was likely to get hit with further tariffs in response to Carney's public relations stunt. 

“How would we [defend Greenland's sovereignty,” wondered Sheila, pointing to the spending shortfall. “What are we going to do, send out [Liberal MP and former Olympian] Adam van Koeverden in a kayak to defend the Arctic? Give me a break.”