Fewer Americans see Canada as close ally than 2 years ago: poll

The number of Democrats who see Canada as a close ally has dropped from seven in 10 to about half, while the number of Republicans who feel the same has dropped below 50 per cent.

Americans are less likely to see Canada and the U.S. as close allies than they were two years ago, the latest indication that President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and talk of taking over a neighboring ally are souring a critical economic and military relationship.

The U.S. shift in viewpoint comes primarily from Democrats, though Republicans are less likely to see Canada as America’s ally now too, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. While about 7 in 10 Democrats saw Canada and the U.S. as close allies before Trump returned to office, now that number is down to about half. For Republicans, the number dropped from 55% to 44%.

Although most still see the countries’ relationship as at least “friendly,” just under half of U.S. adults now consider the U.S. to be “close allies” with its neighbor to the north. That’s down from about 6 in 10 in a Pearson Institute/AP-NORC poll conducted in September 2023.

“He’s turning everybody against us,” bemoaned Lynn Huster, 73, a lifelong Democrat who lives in York, Pennsylvania. Huster says she has been dismayed by Trump’s actions and how they have affected relationships with other allies, including the United Kingdom.

“Canada,” she said, had been “our friends, you know, they backed us. And some of the other countries, the U.K., they don’t want any part of us anymore. And it’s sad that our country’s going to stand alone if anything happens.”

The poll comes as Trump has dramatically realigned U.S. foreign policy and America’s relations since his return to office.

He has slapped sweeping tariffs on goods made in Canada, Mexico and China, and this week added a 25% tax on imported autos. Next week, he says he will put in place “reciprocal” taxes mirroring the tariffs charged by other nations — a move he is calling “Liberation Day.”

Beyond the economic threats, Trump has repeatedly antagonized and belittled historic partners, notably the one with which the U.S. shares a 5,500-mile (8,900-kilometer) border. He has threatened Canada’s sovereignty, saying it should become the country’s 51st state, and repeatedly labeled its prime minister “governor.”