Trump Endorsed Foreign Candidates in Poland, Japan, and Colombia, U.S. Embassy Says
U.S. officials accuse Canada of influencing the November midterms, even as the president has backed rivals in at least four countries since January 2025.
By Mariam Saleh ·
The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa released a fact sheet on Wednesday detailing specific Canadian actions it considers potential interference in the upcoming November 3 midterm elections. The document lists several instances, including a Liberal member of parliament canvassing for a Florida Democratic candidate and comments made by Industry Minister Melanie Joly regarding trade strategy. The embassy issued the release after Prime Minister Mark Carney and other Canadian leaders dismissed earlier warnings from Washington against involvement in the U.S. vote.
President Donald Trump has a history of supporting foreign electoral candidates since returning to the White House in early 2025. He has publicly backed presidential or prime ministerial candidates in Poland, Honduras, Colombia, and Japan. Most recently, he voiced support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of an election held on Tuesday. The president also supported former Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban during his failed re-election bid, a campaign that included a rally appearance by Vice-President JD Vance in Budapest.
In February, Trump addressed his practice of international endorsements during a meeting of his Board of Peace. He stated, "I'm not supposed to be endorsing people. As long as it works, it's OK with me." The president also suggested in last year's Argentine midterms that financial support for President Javier Milei would depend on his party's results. In 2025, Trump wrote on social media that he would "rather deal with a liberal than a conservative" in Canada, weighing in on the local political race.
Daniel Drezner, a professor of international politics at Tufts University, described the U.S. accusations as the pot calling the kettle black. He noted that the administration has a long track record of intervening directly in the elections of official allies. "The truth is that this administration has had a long track record of intervening directly into the elections of official allies," Drezner said in an interview.
Former U.S. Ambassador to Canada James Blanchard said the current administration lacks credibility to make such claims. In an interview airing on Sunday, Blanchard stated, "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. But I can't from this current administration." He added that heads of state typically avoid overt campaigning in foreign elections to ensure they can work with whichever party wins.
Carney responded to the embassy's list during a news conference in Istanbul on Friday. "There is no merit to these claims, so I'll call it out that way," Carney said. He expressed disappointment that U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra views making such suggestions as his role. The prime minister said he does not expect the U.S. to blame Canada for poor midterm results or impose new tariffs.
The U.S. embassy declined to comment when asked if a Canadian official offering a similar endorsement to a U.S. midterm candidate would be considered interference. The fact sheet also cited the Ontario government's Ronald Reagan advertisement and a federal billboard campaign from early 2025. Trade tensions remain a key issue for Republican candidates in border states, with Senator Susan Collins stating she secured exemptions to some tariffs.
Source: CBC News
