Trump Backed Six Foreign Candidates While U.S. Blames Ottawa

The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa released a fact sheet on Wednesday that lists four specific Canadian actions as potential interference in the November 3 midterm elections. The document cites Liberal MP Anthony Housefather canvassing for a Florida Democrat, comments by Industry Minister Mélanie Joly regarding counter-tariffs, an Ontario government advertisement featuring Ronald Reagan, and a federal billboard campaign. These findings appear despite a documented record of President Donald Trump endorsing candidates in other countries since returning to the White House in early 2025.

Trump has supported presidential or prime ministerial candidates in Poland, Honduras, Colombia, and Japan. His most recent endorsement was for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of an election scheduled for Tuesday. The president also voiced support for former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s re-election bid and suggested that financial aid to Argentina would depend on the performance of President Javier Milei’s party. In February, Trump told his Board of Peace that he was not supposed to endorse people but that it was okay if it worked.

The embassy’s release followed warnings from Ambassador Pete Hoekstra and Trump adviser Peter Navarro against Canadian involvement. Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the accusations during a news conference in Istanbul on Friday. He stated that the claims had no merit and expressed disappointment that the U.S. envoy viewed making such suggestions as part of his role. Carney told reporters that he did not expect the administration to blame Canada for poor midterm results or add new tariffs.

Daniel Drezner, a professor of international politics at Tufts University, described the situation as the pot calling the kettle black. He noted that the administration has a history of intervening directly in the elections of allies. Drezner argued that while Housefather’s canvassing might be unusual, meetings between Canadian officials and American politicians are standard diplomacy. He added that the White House might use Canada as a scapegoat if midterm results are unfavorable.

Former U.S. ambassador to Canada James Blanchard said the administration lacks credibility given Trump’s public endorsements. In an interview airing Sunday, Blanchard said he would have taken the accusation seriously from previous administrations but not from the current one. The U.S. Embassy declined to comment when asked if a similar endorsement by a Canadian official would constitute interference. The embassy did not address whether the trade war has become a pressure point for Republican candidates in border states.

The conflict has influenced campaigns in states like Michigan and Maine. Republican Sen. Susan Collins said she secured exemptions to tariffs and will continue working with administration officials. She described Canada as a neighbor, ally, and largest trading partner. In Michigan, candidate Mike Rogers released an ad criticizing tariffs and stating that Canada is not an enemy. The U.S. Treasury Secretary also commented on an Alberta separation referendum, calling the province a natural partner for the United States.

Trump previously weighed in on Canadian politics during the 2025 campaign, writing on social media that he would rather deal with a liberal than a conservative. Former President Barack Obama endorsed Justin Trudeau in 2019 and 2021, while Sen. Bernie Sanders supported Jagmeet Singh in 2021. Drezner noted that those endorsements were made by individuals who were not part of the executive branch at the time. He explained that heads of state typically avoid overtly campaigning for one side to maintain business relations with whoever wins.