Embassy Lists 4 Canadian Actions as Midterm Meddling After Trump Endorsed 6 Foreign Candidates

American voters in Michigan and Maine face new tariff pressure on their wallets as the U.S. and Canada trade accusations of election interference ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms. Republican Sen. Susan Collins said Friday she secured exemptions from the levies, while the Republican candidate for Michigan's open Senate seat, Mike Rogers, released an ad this month stating, "Here in Michigan we know that Canada is not our enemy. We need to end this tariff war now."

The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa released a fact sheet on Wednesday listing actions that could amount to potential interference in U.S. elections. The list cites Liberal MP Anthony Housefather canvassing for a Florida Democrat during a primary earlier this year, comments from Industry Minister Mélanie Joly regarding Canada's counter-tariff strategy dating to March 2025, the Ontario government's Ronald Reagan ad that ran in the U.S. last year, and a federal government billboard campaign from early 2025.

Since returning to the White House in early 2025, Trump has endorsed candidates in Poland, Honduras, Colombia, Japan, Israel and Hungary. He also suggested during last year's midterms in Argentina that a financial support package would hinge on results for President Javier Milei's party. During the February inaugural meeting of his Board of Peace, Trump said, "I'm not supposed to be endorsing people. As long as it works, it's OK with me."

The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa declined to comment when asked if a Canadian official offering a similar endorsement to a midterm candidate would amount to potential election interference. Former U.S. ambassador to Canada James Blanchard said in an exclusive interview with Rosemary Barton Live airing Sunday that the administration has "no credibility" given Trump's list of public endorsements. "If this accusation had come from the Reagan administration or the Bush administration or the Obama administration, the Clinton administration, I would take it seriously," Blanchard said. "But I can't from this current administration."

Daniel Drezner, a professor of international politics at Tufts University, described the accusation against Canada as the "pot calling the kettle black." He noted that former president Barack Obama endorsed Justin Trudeau in 2019 and 2021, and Sen. Bernie Sanders backed Jagmeet Singh in 2021, but said those examples differ because neither was part of the executive branch at the time. Drezner said he could "easily see" a situation where the Trump administration blames bad midterm results on Canada. "They're going to blame anyone and everyone. That is the modus operandi of this White House," he said.

Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the accusations. "There is no merit to these claims, so I'll call it out that way," Carney told reporters during a news conference in Istanbul on Friday. He added, "I'm disappointed that their envoy sees that as his role, to make these suggestions," referring to Ambassador Pete Hoekstra. Carney said he does not see the administration blaming Canada for a poor midterm result or slapping more tariffs on Canadian exports coming to pass. Joly has said she has met with Republicans and Democrats in recent months.

Drezner said Housefather's canvassing for a candidate might be "slightly unusual," while other instances the embassy mentioned, such as Joly and Bernadette Jordan, Canada's consul general in Boston, meeting with American politicians, amount to "garden variety diplomacy." Drezner also said U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent discussed Alberta as a "natural partner" for the U.S. in January while talking about the possibility of a separation referendum, and The Globe and Mail reported that Republican political operatives were on the ground in Alberta earlier this year to help the separatist campaign. CBC News previously reported that Alberta separatists attended meetings in U.S. State Department offices in Washington, D.C., last year.

The embassy's fact sheet followed warnings from Ambassador Pete Hoekstra and Trump adviser Peter Navarro against Canada getting involved in the midterms. Trump also commented on Canadian politics during the 2025 campaign, writing on social media that he would "rather deal with a liberal than a conservative."