Poll: Majorities in US and Canada Say Trump Tariffs on Canada Were Wrong

A new opinion poll suggests that majorities of both Americans and Canadians believe the tariffs the Trump administration imposed on Canadian goods were the wrong policy choice. According to the survey findings, 56 percent of respondents in the United States said the tariffs were unjustified, while an even larger share of Canadians, 83 percent, expressed the same view.

The tariffs, which have strained economic relations between the two neighboring countries, have been a point of contention since they were introduced. Canada and the United States share one of the largest trading relationships in the world, with goods and services crossing the border in vast volumes each day, from automobiles and machinery to agricultural products and energy.

The scale of opposition revealed by the poll, particularly the overwhelming majority among Canadian respondents, points to how deeply the tariffs have registered with the public in Canada, where trade with the United States plays an outsized role in the national economy. The fact that a majority of Americans also disapprove of the tariffs suggests the policy has not found broad public support even within the country that imposed it.

Public opinion on tariffs often reflects concerns about higher consumer prices, retaliatory measures from trading partners, and the potential for disruption to supply chains that rely on cross-border commerce. Businesses on both sides of the border have previously raised concerns about the practical effects of tariff measures on costs and competitiveness.

The poll was reported by Anadolu Agency, the Turkish state-run news agency, and adds to the broader public discussion over the Trump administration's trade policy toward Canada. It remains to be seen whether the survey results will influence future policy decisions or trigger renewed negotiations between Washington and Ottawa over the tariff measures.

Neither the White House nor the Canadian government issued an immediate public response to the poll's findings as of the report.