U.S. political leaders, including at least one Republican, are warning that President Donald Trump’s escalating trade feud with Canada will raise costs for U.S. families and businesses, while damaging a longstanding relationship with the nation’s closest ally.
The widespread criticism comes after Canada pulled out of trade talks late Friday night and promised 50 per cent U.S. tariffs on CA$20 billion in Canadian imports kicked in on Saturday.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said Saturday that Canada would enact dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs on Sept. 8, the Tuesday after Labour Day.
As happened during the Trump administration’s initial trade hostilities in 2025, the dispute has become a major political issue in states that rely heavily on trade with Canada.
“Canada is NOT the 51st state. Trump owes our friends and neighbors an apology for nearly 2 years of his boorish insults and jeers, ” Democratic Washington State Senator Patty Murray wrote on X , calling Canada the state’s largest trading partner.
Canada is NOT the 51st state. Trump owes our friends and neighbors an apology for nearly 2 years of his boorish insults and jeers.
Canada IS Washington state’s biggest trading partner and our country’s closest ally.
Dump Trump’s tariffs. NO TRADE WAR. 🇺🇸🇨🇦
— Senator Patty Murray (@PattyMurray) August 22, 2026
According to the Washington Council on International Trade , 29 per cent of all imports between April 2025 and this March — approximately $21 billion in goods — came from Canada.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer also warned that her state is “uniquely impacted” by what she called Washington Republicans’ “ongoing, chaotic tariff wars with Canada.”
“These tariffs act as a tax hike on Michigan families and businesses by raising prices at the grocery store and the gas pump,” she posted on X.
Her Michigan democratic ally, Congresswoman Haley Stevens, said the new tariffs would make life more expensive for residents of a state linked to Canada for centuries as “partners, allies and close friends.”
“You don’t rob your neighbor,” she said in an X post . “This trade war must end so we can get our economy back on track. I will keep pushing to block Donald Trump’s tariff regime and keep fighting to lower costs for Michiganders.”
This morning, Michiganders woke up to the news that their costs are going to once again skyrocket because of Donald Trump’s failed presidency.
For centuries, Michigan and Canada have been partners, allies, and close friends. Trump’s reckless and unnecessary trade war is blowing…
— Rep. Haley Stevens (@RepHaleyStevens) August 22, 2026
The border state took in about $55.5 billion in Canadian goods last year — 80 per cent from Ontario — while sending about $28.8 back across, most of it over the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor, per the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
Abdul El-Sayed, currently running for Senate in Michigan, accused Trump of “escalating a trade war with Canada for his own vanity.
“Even before this new round, Canadian tariffs were costing Michigan families an additional $3,200 a year,” he said on X . “It’s going to get much worse.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul offered a more concise assessment.
“Needlessly picking fights with our allies and raising prices here at home,” she wrote on X . “That’s Trump’s economic policy in a nutshell.”
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said the new tariffs were yet another burden on Americans already facing high costs.
“Trump’s chaotic trade wars are bleeding the American people dry, and now he’s coming back for more,” he posted to X . “This nonsense with Canada should have never gone into effect. It must end now.”
Trump’s chaotic trade wars are bleeding the American people dry, and now he’s coming back for more.
Trump just slapped another bill on hardworking American families — who are already crushed by his skyrocketing costs.
This nonsense with Canada should have never gone into… https://t.co/nLyLYX3Ka5
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) August 22, 2026
Minnesota Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar said on X that the tariffs will lead to “higher costs for small businesses, farmers and all Minnesota families.”
“Canada is Minnesota’s #1 trading partner,” the candidate for governor to replace Tim Walz wrote. “Minnesotans are paying for Trump’s chaos.”
Minnesota imports more than $19 billion worth of products from Canada annually, more than two-thirds of which is energy from crude oil, natural gas and electricity, as reported by CBS.
Maine Governor Janet Mills also warned of higher costs and uncertainty, saying Trump’s latest escalation “would further strain our bond with our closest trading partner.”
“Maine has had enough of this unending trade whiplash,” she wrote on X.
Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins said the repeated swings in U.S.-Canada trade policy were already creating problems for businesses in her state.
She said Maine imports about US$2 billion in non-petroleum products from Canada each year and that businesses, farmers and lobster fishers had expressed concerns about tariffs, limited domestic supply chains and possible Canadian retaliation.
“If the Administration proceeds with these tariffs, they will increase costs for Maine families, as most businesses will have no choice but to pass on the tariffs to their customers through higher prices,” she shared on X.
The on-again/off-again trade talks between the U.S. and Canada lead to higher costs, risk, and uncertainty for Maine businesses. If the Administration proceeds with these tariffs, they will increase costs for Maine families, as most businesses will have no choice but to pass on…
— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) August 22, 2026
Urging both sides to resume negotiations towards “a fair agreement,” she said the Trump administration should consider the effects of tariffs on Maine businesses, communities and families.
The criticism wasn’t limited to border states.
Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger said Canada is Virginia’s No. 1 export destination and warned that the new tariffs would hurt families, farmers, producers, foresters and businesses “in a matter of days.”
“We have seen time and time again how President Trump’s careless, chaotic tariff policies have direct consequences for Virginians,” she posted on X . “They raise prices and destabilize relationships that our producers and businesses rely on.”
Colorado Democratic Senator Brittany Peterson acknowledged Canada’s decision to impose retaliatory tariffs while warning about the consequences of the trade war.
“It’s hard to imagine the long-term consequences to critical industries in both our countries due to this incompetent and unhinged president,” she wrote on X.
California Governor Gavin Newsom was decidedly more blunt.
“Our closest ally. Our critical trade partner. And Trump is hitting Canada with 50% tariffs,” he wrote. “What the actual f— are we doing?”
Trump, meanwhile, had been quiet on the subject until early Sunday morning when he posted about Canada on his Truth Social platform.
“Canada wants the benefits of being a State, without being one!!! They have also charged our great farmers, for many years, massive amounts of Tariffs. No more!!!”
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