GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill have rallied behind President Donald Trump in his trade war with Canada. According to Texas Republican August Pfluger and Florida Representative Brian Mast, who spoke after meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the trade war is a result of Canada's refusal to accept a "generous" deal offered by the US. No Republican lawmakers expressed significant concern about the impact of tariffs on voters, except for one representative from South Carolina who said he raised concerns about affordability. Trump continues to criticize Canada's banking policy, claiming it restricts US bank operations and favors Canadian banks.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-03,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Republicans back Trump in his trade war with Canada
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Republicans → back → Canada
After meeting with U.S. trade rep on Capitol Hill, GOP lawmakers defend president's tactics
Republican members of Congress are publicly backing U.S. President Donald Trump in his trade war with Canada and blaming Prime Minister Mark Carney's government for walking away from negotiations.
Dozens of GOP House members gathered on Capitol Hill on Wednesday for a closed-door meeting with Trump's point man on tariffs, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
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Dozens → defend → tariffs
While some Republicans are quietly concerned that an escalation of costly tariffs could worsen their re-election prospects in the midterms in November, those who spoke with CBC News after meeting Greer generally expressed support for the president's trade strategy.
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who → worsen → strategy
Texas Republican August Pfluger praised Trump for bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. and pinned blame for the trade war on Ottawa.
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Pfluger → praise → Ottawa
"It's a war that is perpetuated by Canada," Pfluger told CBC News.
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Pfluger → perpetuate → News
"The Canadians need to get reasonable.
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Canadians → need → ?
They've taken advantage of the United States for a long time.
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They → take → time
"
Brian Mast, a five-term Congressman from Florida, also criticized Canada for the breakdown in trade talks.
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Mast → criticize → talks
"They were given the best possible deal, more generous than anybody else across the globe, and it's something that they turned their back on," Mast told CBC News.
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Mast → give → News
When Greer emerged from the meeting, he did not respond to reporters' questions about the state of negotiations with Canada.
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he → emerge → Canada
Trump criticizes Canada's banking policy
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Trump → criticize → policy
Meanwhile at the White House, Trump gave no sign of shifting his position that Canada has long taken advantage of the U.S. on trade.
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Canada → give → trade
Trump told reporters that one of his biggest grievances against Canada is the limits it puts on U.S. bank operations north of the border.
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it → tell → border
Donald Trump mistakes Bank of Canada for retail bank
Canada has leverage in this trade fight, but economists warn it comes with a cost
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it → mistake → cost
"They basically don't allow banks of America to be in Canada, that's sort of emblematic of the way they treat us," Trump said in the Oval Office on Wednesday afternoon.
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Trump → allow → afternoon
"Canada has all of its major banks here, and we're their biggest source of income, far bigger than they are in Canada," he said.
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he → have → Canada
On Capitol Hill, the sole Republican who raised concerns about the impact of the trade war on voters was Ralph Norman, who represents a South Carolina district.
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who → raise → district
"What I hear in South Carolina is affordability," said Norman.
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Norman → hear → Carolina
"It all goes into affordability, whether it's this [trade war with Canada], whether it's tariffs, whether it's housing, gas."
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it → go → Canada
He says Greer expressed willingness to address how tariffs are affecting each state.
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tariffs → say → state
"The concerns, they were real," Norman said.
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Norman → say → ?
"I think the White House will be listening."
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House → think → ?
- Podcast
Can the U.S.-Canada trade war change course if Democrats win the midterm elections?
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Democrats → change → elections
Iran war hits 6-month milestone with Trump's attention largely elsewhere
Although polling suggests Trump's tariffs are deeply unpopular, other Congressional Republicans lined up to defend the president's trade war with Canada, in some cases repeating his arguments almost word-for-word.
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Republicans → hit → word
Missouri Congressman Eric Burlison said it would not be a smart move for Canada to levy counter-tariffs on U.S. exports, as Carney has threatened to do next week.
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Carney → say → exports
"We're the economic powerhouse obviously compared to [Canada]," Burlison said.
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Burlison → compare → Canada
"I think Canada needs the United States more than we need them."
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we → think → them
