U.S. Ambassador Warns Canada Could Be Blamed if Trump Loses Key Senate Races

U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra told a closed‑door business lunch on Oct. 28 that Canada could be blamed if key Senate races in Michigan and Maine go to Democrats in next week’s U.S. midterm elections. The remarks were made at his official residence in Ottawa and were reported by three sources with knowledge of the discussion.

Election stakes

said that a loss in those states would make it "more difficult for Canada after the midterms because the president will not be happy and Canada could be blamed." The comment was part of a broader conversation about the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariff policy on bilateral relations.

Official responses "The reported comments are grossly taken out of context from a broader discussion," the U.S. embassy said in a statement to CTV News. The embassy declined to detail the broader context. Beth Burke, CEO of the Canadian American Business Council, which helped organise the lunch, said the event was meant to be off‑record and that Hoekstra "spoke very positively about the U.S.–Canada relationship and his hopes that a deal will be reached."

Trade backdrop Trump reversed some tariffs affecting Maine on Friday in an effort to aid Sen. Susan Collins’ re‑election bid, while Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers in Michigan is campaigning against the tariffs. The non‑partisan Cook Political Report listed the House as leaning Democratic and the Senate as a toss‑up as of Oct. 28.

Next steps Trade talks between the United States and Canada have intensified over the past week, but officials remain cautious about outcomes. Hoekstra, who has a sometimes combative persona in Ottawa, recently adopted a conciliatory tone, saying the United States wants a deal "as soon as possible."