GOP had plan to calm frustrated voters — then Trump got in the way

U.S. President Donald Trump in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 24, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war with its northern neighbor went into overdrive this week when he threatened Canada with new 50 percent tariffs and Canada responded with retaliatory tariffs — some of which, according to Prime Minister Mark Carney, could be as high as 50 percent. And according to Politico, Trump's moves are undermining Republican efforts to calm down frustrated voters and save the majorities the GOP presently enjoys in both branches of Congress.

Politico reporters Jordain Carney and Mia McCarthy explain, "Republicans were already struggling to defuse simmering voter frustrations over the cost of living ahead of the midterms. Then, President Donald Trump rekindled his trade wars. Trump's latest actions — especially his decision to impose 50 percent tariffs on $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, inviting retaliatory duties from America's No. 2 trading partner — has sparked new pushback from GOP lawmakers and candidates."

Carney and McCarthy note that Trump's "moves are set to reverberate especially hard in a handful of states crucial to the party's hopes of keeping their Senate majority" — including "northern border states such as Maine and Michigan" along with "agriculture-heavy battlegrounds like Iowa and North Carolina."

One of the GOP lawmakers who is sounding the alarm about Trump's trade war with Canada and the 2026 midterms is Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), who isn't seeking reelection this year. Democrats are feeling bullish about their centrist nominee in North Carolina's 2026 U.S. Senate race: two-term former Gov. Roy Cooper.

Tillis, discussing the midterms, told Politico, "We've got 71 days, and right now, we don't have a positive message to tell farm country."

Tillis argued that Trump's trade war with Canada is creating "tension," adding, "The party that owns that tension is the party that will probably suffer the consequences in November."

Former Sen. John Sununu (R-New Hampshire), older brother of former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, told Politico that "it makes no sense to start a trade war with our closest neighbor" — adding, "Canada is an important and valued trading partner for New Hampshire. As senator, I'd encourage both sides to continue to negotiate and keep trade flowing between our countries."

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told reporters, "We produce a lot in Maine — our blueberries, our potatoes, our lobster, our lumber — that is processed across the border. If it comes back with a huge tariff on it[,] that increases the cost of eating, building homes."

According to Carney and McCarthy, Trump's trade war with Canada is giving Democrats anti-Trump talking points for the midterms.

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DCCC) spokesman Tommy Garcia told Politico, "Americans are paying more for everything because GOP Senate candidates have served as a rubber stamp for Trump's chaotic tariffs at the expense of their states. Come November, voters will hold them accountable for making life more expensive."

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