U.S. Embassy lists Canadian actions as midterm meddling while Trump backed foreign rivals

The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa released a fact sheet on Wednesday that accuses the Canadian government of attempting to influence the U.S. midterm elections scheduled for November 3. The document lists four specific instances of what diplomats described as potential interference. These actions occurred despite warnings from Ambassador Pete Hoekstra and Trump adviser Peter Navarro that Ottawa should stay out of the American electoral process.

President Donald Trump has a history of weighing in on foreign ballots since returning to office in early 2025. He endorsed candidates in Poland, Honduras, Colombia, and Japan. More recently, he voiced support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of a Tuesday election and backed Viktor Orbán’s failed re-election bid in Hungary. Trump also suggested that financial support for Argentina would depend on a strong result for President Javier Milei’s party.

During a February meeting of his Board of Peace, Trump addressed the norm of non-intervention. He stated, "I'm not supposed to be endorsing people. As long as it works, it's OK with me." The embassy’s latest report highlights a few Canadian actions, including Liberal MP Anthony Housefather canvassing for a Florida Democrat and comments by Industry Minister Mélanie Joly regarding counter-tariffs. It also cites a federal billboard campaign from early 2025 and an Ontario government advertisement for Ronald Reagan that aired in the U.S. last year.

Prime Minister Mark Carney dismissed the accusations on Friday in Istanbul. He told reporters there was no merit to the claims and expressed disappointment that Hoekstra viewed making such suggestions as his role. Carney noted that Joly has met with both Republicans and Democrats recently, a practice he and his team consider standard diplomacy.

Former U.S. ambassador James Blanchard told Rosemary Barton Live that the current administration lacks credibility given Trump's track record. He argued that he would take such accusations seriously if they came from the Reagan, Bush, Obama, or Clinton administrations, but not from the current one. Daniel Drezner, a professor at Tufts University, agreed, calling the situation a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

The trade dispute has become a central issue for Republican candidates in border states. Senator Susan Collins of Maine said on social media that she secured exemptions from certain levies and would continue working for additional relief. In Michigan, Republican candidate Mike Rogers aired a thirty-second ad earlier this month stating, "Here in Michigan we know that Canada is not our enemy. We need to end this tariff war now."

When asked if the administration might blame Canada for poor midterm results and impose more tariffs, Carney said he did not see that coming to pass. The embassy declined to comment when asked if a Canadian official endorsing a U.S. midterm candidate would constitute similar interference.