Trump appointees have often criticized Justin Trudeau and Canada

Photo: Adrian Wyld The Canadian Press Justin Trudeau, upon his arrival on American soil, on July 8, ahead of the NATO summit in Washington.

Kelly Geraldine Malone – The Canadian Press in Washington

Published at 6:48 a.m.

• Canada

For his second stint as U.S. president, Donald Trump will surround himself with some of his most trusted allies. Already, several people who have held senior positions in his upcoming administration have publicly criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Canada-U.S. border security.

According to one expert, Canada’s allies are few and far between in the president-elect’s court so far.

“I don’t see a lot of friends of Canada in there,” said Fen Hampson, a professor of international affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa and co-chair of the Expert Panel on Canada-U.S. Relations.

As the Republican leader begins to make critical decisions about his future administration, foreign policy and border management appointments have sent signals to Canada, and the world, about the path the United States intends to take.

Mr. Trump campaigned on imposing a broad import tariff of at least 10 per cent. A report by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce suggests that such a measure would hurt the Canadian economy, with economic costs of about $30 billion per year.

The president-elect has also criticized aid to Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression and attacked the United Nations, both of which Canada’s Liberal government strongly supports.

Mr. Trump named Mike Waltz as national security adviser amid growing geopolitical instability, saying in a statement that Mr. Waltz “will be a formidable advocate for our quest for peace through strength.”

Mr. Waltz, a three-term congressional representative from Florida, has repeatedly criticized Trudeau on social media, particularly for his handling of China issues.

He also recently weighed in on Canada’s upcoming federal election, posting on X that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre would “fire Trudeau in 2025” and “start getting Canada out of the progressive mess it’s in.”

Like Trump, Waltz has criticized NATO members for failing to meet defence spending targets — something Canada isn’t doing and won’t do for years.

Trudeau has promised to reach the goal of spending the equivalent of 2% of GDP on defence by 2032.

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Border management

Immigration and border security were at the heart of Republican concerns during the election. Many key candidates have their eyes fixed on what is happening at the northern border.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio, a vocal critic of China, has been reported to be expected to be nominated for Secretary of State.

Rubio recently blasted Canada’s decision to accept Palestinian refugees, saying that “known terrorists and criminals continue to cross U.S. land borders, including from Canada.”

Trump’s pick for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, New York’s Elise Stefanik, has also spoken out about the situation on the border with Canada.

Stefani, as a member of the Northern Border Security Caucus, has called on the Department of Homeland Security to secure the border.

“We must protect our children from these dangerous illegal immigrants who are flooding our northern border in record numbers,” she wrote on X in October.

Stefanik has little foreign policy experience, but Mr. Trump has described her as a “smart fighter for America first.” She has repeatedly denounced the United Nations, saying the international organization is anti-Semitic for its criticism of Israel’s bombing of Gaza.

The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement

According to US media reports, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, a longtime Trump ally, has been tapped to lead Homeland Security. She was on the vice presidential ticket until controversy erupted over an anecdote in her book about shooting a dog.

“She doesn’t seem to have very warm feelings (toward Canada),” Hampson observed.

Last year, she revealed she had conversations with a Canadian family business that was looking to relocate to her state because of COVID-19 restrictions.

But Noem has also called the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, negotiated under the first Trump administration, “a major victory.”

The trilateral agreement is up for review in 2026.

Robert Lighthizer, Mr. Trump’s former trade representative, has been an informal adviser to the president-elect’s transition, and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has said they remain in contact.

He has been touted by analysts as an option for several positions in the second Trump administration, including a return to the trade file, though Hampson said he is unlikely to return to the role of trade representative.

Hampson noted that there are still significant questions about the extent of the tariffs and possible exceptions for sectors such as energy. Trump and his team could also loom over upcoming trade negotiations with the threat of tariffs.

“Will he slap a tariff on us on day one or soon after?,” Hampson said.

Some experts have urged Canada to remain calm and focus on opportunities rather than fears. Others have called for bold measures and creative thinking.

The government relaunched a cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations just over 24 hours after Trump's victory.

While in Fredericton on Tuesday, Trudeau said that under the first Trump presidency, Canada successfully negotiated the trilateral trade deal by demonstrating that the countries' interests and economies were aligned.

“That will continue to be the case,” he said.