Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 18
FBI Halts Some Canada Cooperation Over 9/11 Terminology Policy, Then Reverses
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 18

FBI Halts Some Canada Cooperation Over 9/11 Terminology Policy, Then Reverses

1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 18

Summary

  • Some FBI cooperation with Canada’s RCMP was temporarily suspended this month after Director Kash Patel objected to guidance at Canada’s public broadcaster on describing the Sept. 11 attacks.
  • The trigger was a longstanding CBC policy telling journalists not to label 9/11 “terrorism” without attribution; the broadcaster, which is independent of the Canadian government, reversed that stance late last month.
  • The pause was limited and short-lived: other U.S. intelligence-sharing continued, not all FBI-RCMP work stopped, but FBI officials canceled meetings and told Canadian counterparts they would be out of touch.
  • The episode still risked disrupting joint terrorism and cybersecurity cases and added strain to a key cross-border law-enforcement relationship as President Donald Trump was already escalating pressure on Canada with tariffs and taunts.

Insights

How did the sudden FBI-RCMP freeze impact the joint hunt for hackers holding millions of North American driver's licenses?
Did a media debate over terminology secretly provide cover for broader diplomatic pressure on Canada?