U.S. Embassy Accuses Canada of Midterm Interference as Trump Backs Foreign Candidates

Washington has long warned Ottawa against influencing the upcoming U.S. elections, yet the White House has actively weighed in on foreign polls since early 2025. The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa released a fact sheet on Wednesday listing four specific Canadian actions it considers potential interference in the November 3 midterms.

The document points to Liberal MP Anthony Housefather canvassing for a Florida Democrat during a primary earlier this year. It also cites comments by Industry Minister Mélanie Joly regarding Canada's counter-tariff strategy, some of which date back to March 2025 when she served as foreign affairs minister.

The embassy’s list includes the Ontario government’s Ronald Reagan advertisement that aired in the U.S. last year. It also references a federal billboard campaign launched in early 2025. The release followed warnings from Ambassador Pete Hoekstra and trade adviser Peter Navarro that Canada should stay out of the U.S. election cycle.

President Donald Trump has endorsed candidates in Poland, Honduras, Colombia, and Japan since returning to office. He recently voiced support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an election on Tuesday. Trump also backed former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in his failed re-election bid, a campaign in which Vice-President JD Vance appeared at a rally in Budapest.

In February, Trump discussed his foreign endorsements during the inaugural meeting of his Board of Peace. “I’m not supposed to be endorsing people,” he said. “As long as it works, it’s OK with me.” He also suggested that a financial support package for Argentina would depend on a strong result for President Javier Milei’s party in last year’s midterms.

Prime Minister Mark Carney rejected the U.S. claims during a news conference in Istanbul on Friday. “There is no merit to these claims, so I’ll call it out that way,” Carney told reporters. He expressed disappointment that Ambassador Hoekstra viewed making such suggestions as part of his role.

Daniel Drezner, a professor of international politics at Tufts University, described the situation as the pot calling the kettle black. He noted that the administration has a history of intervening in the elections of allies. “The truth is that this administration has had a long track record of intervening directly into the elections of official allies,” Drezner said.

The embassy declined to comment on whether a Canadian official endorsing a midterm candidate would constitute interference. Former U.S. ambassador James Blanchard told Rosemary Barton Live that the administration lacks credibility given its own actions. “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.