White House trade adviser Peter Navarro warned Canada not to interfere in the November U.S. elections and told Canadian K Street lobbyists to "get the hell out" during a Washington economic event. He specifically named Maine and Michigan, states with close Senate and gubernatorial contests. The comments coincided with President Trump’s import bans on about $1 billion in Canadian goods and follow mutual tariff hikes after trade talks collapsed. Canadian Industry Minister Mélanie Joly defended targeted tariffs as "wise and strategic," while Sen. Ron Wyden criticized Navarro’s remarks as baseless insults.
Navarro Warns Canada Not To Interfere In U.S. Elections, Tells K Street Lobbyists To 'Get Out'
White House senior counselor for trade and manufacturing Peter Navarro (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro on Tuesday publicly warned Canada against interfering in the November U.S. elections and bluntly told Canadian lobbyists on K Street to "get the hell out of our country." The comments came during an economic event in Washington and were reported by Politico.
What He Said
Addressing Canadians in the audience, Navarro said industry lobbyists who work on K Street have been successful in influencing U.S. policy in the past, but he issued a firm warning that they should not attempt to sway the upcoming elections.
"Please, if you're on K Street, get the hell out of our country," Navarro said. "Memo to Canada: You cannot do that."
Context And Consequences
Navarro singled out Maine and Michigan — two states with closely contested Senate and gubernatorial races this fall — as potential targets if Ottawa were to "interfere." His remarks coincided with President Donald Trump’s import bans on about $1 billion of Canadian goods, measures that took effect the same day and followed mutual, double-digit tariff increases after bilateral trade talks collapsed last month.
Canada’s retaliatory tariffs, which began Sept. 8, have disproportionately affected goods from Michigan, Maine and other states with competitive races. Canadian Industry Minister Mélanie Joly defended Ottawa’s approach as "wise and strategic," saying targeted measures were intended to apply political pressure on specific jurisdictions.
Reactions
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, dismissed Navarro’s remarks as part of a "pattern of insults without facts," warning that the issue could be used politically between now and Election Day.
On X (formerly Twitter), Navarro reiterated the administration’s view, writing that President Trump "called it years ago" and accusing Ottawa of favoring Beijing while imposing heavy tariffs on American exports.
Why This Matters
The exchange highlights rising tensions between the two long-standing trading partners at a politically sensitive moment: trade measures that target specific U.S. states risk influencing domestic political dynamics, and public warnings from senior White House advisers escalate a dispute that already includes tariffs and import bans.
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