Trump's Defence Diplomacy by Withdrawal The Trump administration's decision to "pause" US participation in the Permanent Joint Board on Defence has been framed as a rebuke to Canada for not meeting its defence spending commitments.
However, this move is more than just a bilateral spat – it's a symptom of a deeper issue with how the US approaches defence diplomacy. Established in 1940 by Franklin D.
Roosevelt and William Lyon Mackenzie King, the board has long been seen as an important symbol of the Canada US relationship.