Republican lawmakers in Congress are voicing their support for President Donald Trump in the trade dispute with Canada, holding Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration responsible for abandoning negotiations. A group of GOP House members convened on Capitol Hill for a private session with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer to discuss tariffs.
While some Republicans are privately apprehensive about the potential impact of escalating tariffs on their re-election chances in the upcoming midterms, those who spoke with CBC News after the meeting expressed solidarity with the president’s trade tactics. Texas Republican August Pfluger commended Trump for bringing back manufacturing jobs and placed the blame for the trade conflict on Ottawa.
Florida Congressman Brian Mast also criticized Canada for the breakdown in trade discussions, emphasizing that Canada rejected a favorable deal. Greer did not provide details on the status of negotiations after the meeting.
In a separate development, President Trump reiterated his stance at the White House, asserting that Canada has historically taken advantage of the U.S. on trade. He specifically pointed to restrictions on American banks operating in Canada as a major grievance.
On Capitol Hill, the majority of Republican lawmakers aligned with Trump’s approach to the trade war with Canada. South Carolina Representative Ralph Norman, however, raised concerns about the economic impact on voters in his district, emphasizing affordability issues related to tariffs and housing costs. Norman mentioned that Greer acknowledged the concerns raised by lawmakers and expressed readiness to address state-specific tariff impacts.
Despite public opinion polls indicating widespread disapproval of Trump’s tariffs, several Congressional Republicans defended the president’s trade stance against Canada. Missouri Congressman Eric Burlison cautioned against Canada imposing retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, asserting that Canada is more dependent on the U.S. economically.