Canadian U.N. Ambassador Bob Rae has challenged President Donald Trump's Golden Dome aerial attack protection system offer to Canada as nothing better than a "protection racket."

The proposed system would offer top-level protection from just about any kind of attack from overhead, including missiles fired from outer space. Trump posted on Truth Social that he'd put Canada under the Golden Dome umbrella for "ZERO DOLLARS if they become our cherished 51st State."

Trump wrote the alternative would not come cheap. "It will cost $61 Billion Dollars if they remain a separate, but unequal, Nation."

Rae responded on X that the deal appeared to be unacceptable. "In another context this would (be) called a 'protection racket.'"

He later posted about the nature of independent nations. "Both Canada and the United States signed the UN Charter in 1945. Article 2 of the Charter states clearly The Organization is based on the sovereign equality of all nations." Rae added, "Threats to sovereign integrity also prohibited."

Trump has been making regular comments about wanting Canada to become the 51st state of the U.S., but there has been no positive response from Canadian leaders.

The BBC reported on May 21 that there were ongoing discussions between the White House and Canadian leadership about the Golden Dome project.

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