Trump administration might see the Canadian government as an ally of its political opponents

There is strong evidence that the Trump administration, especially during its second term, has treated the Canadian government not just as a routine ally but as a political adversary, or at times, as aligned with its own domestic opponents.

Several actions and statements illustrate this dynamic:

• Trade and Sovereignty Disputes: President Trump imposed sweeping tariffs (25% on Canadian goods, including steel and aluminum, and 10% on energy exports), justifying them with claims ranging from border security and alleged illegal migration to economic grievances. Trump also publicly questioned Canada’s sovereignty, suggesting that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state and referring to Canadian leaders in belittling terms, such as “Governor Trudeau”123.

• Political Interference and Impact: Trump’s aggressive posturing and policy moves—threatening annexation, imposing tariffs, and publicly undermining Canada’s leadership—have led to significant Canadian backlash and spiked nationalism, ultimately bolstering the Canadian Liberal Party’s electoral prospects at the expense of the Conservatives, who had previously enjoyed a commanding lead. Political experts and Canadian officials explicitly stated that Trump’s actions changed the course of Canada’s election, framing the Liberals as defenders against U.S. interference123.

• Perceptions of Political Alignment: Trump and his administration have made clear that they view Canada’s incumbent government as ideologically adverse, frequently characterizing progressive Canadian leaders or policies as obstacles to U.S. goals and accusing them of working against American interests. Canadian Conservative politicians, seen as potentially more sympathetic to U.S. Republican views, were implicitly favored by Trump associates—even leading to calls from some U.S.-aligned Canadian conservatives to pause aggressive U.S. actions until a more “in sync” government might be elected in Canada423.

• Deterioration of Alliance: Trust between the two countries collapsed, with polling showing a dramatic rise in the number of Canadians viewing the U.S. as an enemy. Despite decades of close partnership, Trump’s actions are widely described as having fundamentally upended the long-standing economic, defense, and diplomatic alliance43.

In summary, the Trump administration has demonstrably politicized its relationship with Canada, treating the Canadian government as a rival or political opponent, especially when Canadian leaders’ policies conflicted with Trump’s agenda. This posture had significant consequences not only for bilateral relations but also for domestic politics in both countries1423.

1. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/canadas-new-prime-minister-and-his-opponent-kick-off-five-week-election-campaigns
2. https://abcnews.go.com/International/trade-wars-threats-annexation-trump-changing-canadas-election/story?id=121125965
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada%E2%80%93United_States_relations
4. https://carnegieendowment.org/emissary/2025/04/canada-us-relationship-over-trump-tariffs-51st-state?lang=en
5. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/07/31/trump-canada-trade-tariffs-palestinian-statehood/
6. https://www.fraserinstitute.org/commentary/trumps-executive-orders-represent-massive-threat-canadian-competitiveness
7. https://www.aei.org/foreign-and-defense-policy/canada-and-the-trump-administration-part-i/
8. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/31/trump-threatens-trade-deal-after-canada-moves-towards-recognising-palestine
9. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/behind-the-scenes-trump-tariffs-washington-1.7450526
10. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-united-states-trump-1.7375698
11. https://ppforum.ca/policy-speaking/what-does-donald-trump-really-want-from-canada/
12. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/poilievre-foreign-aid-1.7458797
13. https://www.yorku.ca/news/2024/12/18/how-canada-and-the-countrys-premiers-must-respond-to-trumps-trade-and-energy-policies/
14. https://www.naadsn.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/democracy_donald_trump_and_the_canadaus_security_community.pdf
15. https://www.ivey.uwo.ca/lawrencecentre/news/2025/02/perspective-why-trumps-tariffs-on-canada-wont-last/
16. https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2025/01/08/is-he-the-canadian-trump-00197165
17. https://www.tvo.org/article/three-former-political-adversaries-on-how-to-handle-trump
18. https://www.policyalternatives.ca/news-research/its-time-to-rethink-canadas-approach-to-u-s-trade-negotiations/
19. https://angusreid.org/canada-us-trust-institutions-trump-carney-poilievre-republican-democrat-conservative-liberal/
20. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47620