By Basant El-Faramawy
President Donald Trump has drawn criticism for congratulating the winners of two Canadian provincial elections days after his administration accused Canadian politicians of interfering in the upcoming U.S. midterms. Trump posted on Truth Social celebrating victories by a Quebec separatist leader and a British Columbia Conservative, framing them as setbacks for Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Trump's social media posts
On Tuesday, Trump congratulated Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois, more than three weeks after the Oct. 5 Quebec election. He linked to an article headlined "Separatists win Quebec provincial election in blow to Mark Carney." One minute later, Trump hailed British Columbia premier-designate Lorne Doerkson's "Big Victory," adding that "Conservatives are moving strong in Canada!"
Trade war and annexation rhetoric
The posts come amid Trump's ongoing trade war with Canada and repeated threats to make Canada the 51st U.S. state. St-Pierre Plamondon has criticized Trump's tariffs and ruled out a Quebec independence referendum while Trump remains president. The trade dispute has become a factor in the Nov. 3 U.S. midterms, particularly in Michigan and Maine, where Republican candidates face pressure over tariffs hurting local businesses.
Experts call commentary 'highly unusual'
"It is highly unusual for a U.S. President to comment on Canadian provincial politics or to congratulate provincial election winners," said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University. Béland said neither result should be interpreted as a rejection of Carney, whose popularity has been bolstered by his response to Trump. Nelson Wiseman, a University of Toronto political scientist, said Trump misunderstands Canada's Conservatives, noting Doerkson has criticized Trump's tariffs and called him a bully.
Carney's popularity remains high
Doerkson spoke with Carney on Tuesday, with both leaders emphasizing cooperation on economic growth and investment. "Carney's popularity is at a stratospheric level," Wiseman said. "The more Trump attacks Canada and Carney, the more popular Carney becomes."
U.S. Embassy accuses Canada of election interference
Last week, the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa accused Canadian politicians of seeking to influence the Nov. 3 midterms. It cited Industry Minister Mélanie Joly's comments about targeting Republican states with retaliatory tariffs and Ontario Premier Doug Ford's U.S. advertisement featuring former President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs. The embassy also cited 11 Canadians charged with illegally voting in U.S. elections between 2012 and 2026, without linking the cases to the Canadian government.
Carney rejects allegations
Carney rejected the allegations as having "no merit" and expressed disappointment with U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra. Béland warned the accusations could foreshadow a "Blame Canada" narrative if Republicans suffer losses in the midterms. "It is absurd for President Trump to comment on Canadian provincial politics while the U.S. embassy in Canada is falsely claiming that country is interfering in the U.S. midterms," Béland said.
