Ambassador Hoekstra: 2026 Midterms Could Trigger Blame for Canada

Pete Hoekstra, the United States ambassador to Canada, told business leaders that the country might face blame from the White House if Democrats win key swing states in next week's midterm elections. According to a report by CTV news on Wednesday, Hoekstra made the remarks during a closed-door meeting. He indicated that results in states such as Maine and Michigan could make things harder for Canada if Donald Trump attempts to pin the Republican loss on the northern neighbor.

Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the comments when asked by reporters. "That's an interesting way of framing it," Carney said. The Canadian leader is currently in Turkey, where he stated there was no merit to claims of American election interference. He expressed disappointment that the US envoy views making such suggestions as part of his role.

The statement arrives as Canada and the US remain locked in a trade dispute. Ottawa has retaliated against what it calls illegal US tariffs by targeting goods in states that rely heavily on Canadian trade. Carney said Canada will pursue a deal if one presents itself, but noted that Ottawa's negotiators are not in that position right now.

Hoeckstra has become a polarizing figure in Canada due to his previous comments on US-Canada relations. Last year, speaking to a Michigan radio station, he described Trump's rhetoric about making Canada the 51st state as a sign of affection. He questioned why Canadians were offended by what he called a generous offer. He had also described the 2025 Canadian federal election as anti-American.

This year, more than 225,000 Canadians signed a House of Commons petition calling for Hoekstra's expulsion. The petition argued his statements violated diplomatic protocols, including the prohibition on diplomats interfering in the internal affairs of a host country. Hoekstra recently accused Canadian officials of interfering in US elections. He pointed to Canadian politicians criticizing tariffs in US media and an anti-tariff advertisement run by the province of Ontario on US television.

In a recent podcast appearance, Hoekstra said the US is monitoring and evaluating Canadian actions. He stated that if some of it becomes election interference, America will respond to it. He added that Canadians should keep their nose out of American politics. Industry Minister Melanie Joly responded by saying Canada would never do that and would never accept the same treatment in Canada.

Roland Paris, a foreign affairs adviser to former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and director at the University of Ottawa, called the remarks an extraordinary thing for a US ambassador to say. He suggested the comments look like an effort to manufacture a pretext for the Trump administration's own political difficulties. Paris noted that polling in the US shows voters have increasingly linked tariffs, the war, and the cost of living.

Paris stated that Hoekstra's comments have repeatedly aggravated tensions instead of helping to manage them. He expressed doubt that the ambassador is serving American interests or the interests of his president. Paris argued that every time Hoekstra speaks, Canadians appear more determined to stand up to what he described as the bullying of the Trump administration.

The US embassy denied that Hoekstra said Canada would face blame for a poor Republican showing. In a statement, the embassy suggested the remarks were grossly taken out of context from a broader discussion. It said the ambassador has consistently claimed Canadian media is attempting to overstate the relevance of Canadian issues in American elections.

Last year, Hoekstra delivered an expletive-laden tirade at a Canadian American Business event. The outburst occurred after Ontario ran anti-tariff ads featuring Ronald Reagan. The Ontario premier called the incident absolutely unacceptable and unbecoming of an ambassador. Last week, Barack Obama mocked Trump's fixation on Canada at a Democratic rally in Detroit. He referred to the northern neighbor as a well-known evil empire and noted that Canadians gave the US Martin Short and maple syrup.

Obama concluded by saying the US has gotten its neighbor so mad despite them being a few minutes' drive over the bridge. The former president highlighted the unusual choice to attack a longtime ally while speaking to a crowd in Detroit.