Embassy cites Canadian actions as Trump backed foreign rivals

The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa released a fact sheet on Wednesday listing four Canadian actions that it says could amount to potential interference in the U.S. midterm elections. The document arrived after Prime Minister Mark Carney and other Canadian politicians dismissed earlier suggestions that Ottawa is trying to influence the vote scheduled for Nov. 3.

The embassy pointed to specific events that it believes fit the definition of meddling. These include Liberal MP Anthony Housefather canvassing for a Democrat in a Florida primary earlier this year. Housefather identified the candidate as a friend. The list also cited comments by Industry Minister Mélanie Joly regarding Canada's counter-tariff strategy. Some of those remarks date back to March 2025, when Joly served as foreign affairs minister.

Two other items on the list are visual campaigns. One is the Ontario government's Ronald Reagan advertisement that aired in the U.S. last year. The second is a federal government billboard campaign from early 2025. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra and Trump adviser Peter Navarro previously warned against Canadian involvement in the midterms.

President Donald Trump has endorsed about half a dozen candidates in other countries since returning to the White House in early 2025. His supports include presidential or prime ministerial candidates in Poland, Honduras, Colombia, and Japan. Most recently, he voiced support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an election on Tuesday.

Trump also backed former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's failed re-election bid. Vice President JD Vance appeared at a rally in Budapest to support that campaign. The president weighed in on last year's midterms in Argentina, suggesting a financial support package would depend on a good result for President Javier Milei's party.

Daniel Drezner, a professor of international politics at Tufts University, called the situation a case of the pot calling the kettle black. He told CBC News that the administration has a long track record of intervening directly in the elections of official allies. He noted that heads of state typically do not weigh in on foreign elections to preserve diplomatic flexibility.

Former U.S. ambassador to Canada James Blanchard said the administration lacks credibility given Trump's public endorsements. In an interview with Rosemary Barton Live airing on Sunday, Blanchard stated that he would take the accusation seriously if it came from the Reagan, Bush, Clinton, or Obama administrations. He said he cannot take it seriously from the current administration.

Carney pushed back on Friday during a news conference in Istanbul. He said there is no merit to the claims and expressed disappointment that the U.S. envoy sees making such suggestions as his role. Joly also disputed the accusations, noting that she has met with both Republicans and Democrats in recent months.

The trade war has become a pressure point for Republican candidates in border states. Senate candidate Mike Rogers for Michigan released a 30-second ad earlier this month criticizing tariffs. He said, "Here in Michigan we know that Canada is not our enemy. We need to end this tariff war now." Senate candidate Susan Collins for Maine said Friday that she secured some exemptions to those levies and will continue working with administration officials for additional relief.

The embassy declined to comment when asked if a Canadian official offering a similar endorsement to a midterm candidate would amount to potential election interference. Carney said on Friday that he does not see the administration blaming Canada for a poor midterm result and slapping more tariffs on Canadian exports. He said he does not see that coming to pass.