Hoekstra Told Business Leaders Canada May Face Trump Blame If GOP Loses Swing States

Pete Hoekstra, the US ambassador to Canada, reportedly told business leaders that Canada could become a target for criticism if Republicans underperform in next week's midterm elections. CTV News reported on Wednesday that Hoekstra made the comments during a closed-door meeting, suggesting that relations could deteriorate if Donald Trump attempts to attribute losses in swing races, such as those in Maine and Michigan, to Canada.

Prime Minister Mark Carney responded to the report by calling it an interesting way of framing the situation. The two nations have been engaged in a tariff war for several months. Ottawa has implemented retaliatory measures against what it describes as illegal US tariffs, specifically targeting goods from states that rely heavily on trade with Canada. Carney stated that Canada will pursue a trade deal if one becomes feasible, but noted that negotiators are not currently in that position.

Hoekstra has faced significant scrutiny in Canada for previous remarks. Last year, he described Trump's comments about making Canada the 51st US state as a sign of affection and a generous offer. He had earlier characterized Canada's 2025 federal election as anti-American. This year, a House of Commons petition signed by more than 225,000 Canadians demanded his expulsion, arguing that his statements breached diplomatic protocols regarding interference in a host country's internal affairs.

More recently, Hoekstra accused Canadian officials of interfering in US elections. He cited Canadian politicians who criticized tariffs in American media and an anti-tariff advertisement from Ontario that aired on US television. He told a Canadian podcast that if such actions become election interference, America will respond, adding that Canadians should keep their noses out of American politics. Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, a target of his comments, said Canada would never accept being treated that way in return.

Speaking in Turkey, Carney said there was no merit to the interference claims. He expressed disappointment that the US envoy sees it as his role to make such suggestions. Roland Paris, a foreign affairs adviser at the University of Ottawa, called the remarks an extraordinary thing for an ambassador to say about his host country. Paris argued that the comments appear designed to manufacture a pretext for the Trump administration's political difficulties and have aggravated tensions rather than managed them.

The US embassy denied that Hoekstra explicitly said Canada would be blamed for a weak Republican result. The embassy stated that his words were grossly taken out of context from a broader discussion. It maintained that the ambassador has consistently held that Canadian media overstate the relevance of Canadian issues in American elections and that Americans will decide their elections based on domestic priorities.

Hoekstra has been at the center of earlier clashes, including an expletive-laden tirade at a business event last year directed at Ontario's trade representative. Ontario's premier called the incident absolutely unacceptable and unbecoming of an ambassador. Last week, former president Barack Obama mocked Trump's fixation on Canada at a Democratic rally in Detroit. Obama referred to Canada as a historical adversary and noted that Canadians gave Americans Martin Short and maple syrup.