Politics
Hoekstra says U.S. has not concluded Canada interfered in 2026 elections
U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra said Washington has not determined whether Canadian officials interfered in American elections, walking back the force of an embassy fact sheet that raised the possibility. The remarks come as trade tensions strain relations between the neighboring countries.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra said the United States has not concluded that Canadian officials interfered in American elections, despite an embassy document describing Canadian activities as potential efforts to influence U.S. politics.
In an interview recorded Wednesday and released Friday, Hoekstra said the embassy had not made a definitive finding or told Washington that election interference was occurring. “Someone could assume that or reach that conclusion,” he said, adding that the embassy was continuing to monitor the activities.
The embassy’s fact sheet, released Wednesday, cited Industry Minister Mélanie Joly’s meetings with Democratic officials in Boston and Chicago to discuss tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. It also named Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Liberal member of Parliament Anthony Housefather. The document said Canadian officials were describing plans to influence American politics in public appearances and official materials.
Hoekstra said his earlier comments on election interference had been taken out of context. He did not rule out the possibility of interference, but clarified that the embassy had not reached that conclusion.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has repeatedly rejected the allegations. He has argued that efforts to reduce Canada’s economic dependence on the United States should not be treated as meddling in U.S. elections. At a Friday news conference, Carney suggested the United States was interfering in Canadian politics.
The dispute is unfolding amid worsening relations over trade. Carney walked away from trade negotiations in August and vowed to reduce Canada’s reliance on its southern neighbor, adding to tensions between the governments. The competing claims leave the central question unresolved: whether the Canadian activities cited by the embassy amount to political advocacy or improper election interference.