Carney Says U.S. Claims of Canadian Election Interference Have "No Merit"
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on October 23, 2026, that U.S. claims of Canadian interference in the U.S. midterm elections have "no merit." According to Reuters, the accusations allege that Canada planned to interfere in next month's midterm votes.
The claims came from Trump administration officials, including U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra, who have said Canadian politicians are interfering in the American democratic process. U.S. officials cited Canadian tariffs, which are taxes on imported goods, along with political meetings and anti-Trump advertisements as evidence, Al Jazeera reported.
Two days before Carney's remarks, the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa said Canada's federal government was dismissing concerns about possible interference in U.S. elections, according to CBC News. Experts quoted by Global News said the list of alleged Canadian foreign interference that Hoekstra has put forward looked more like pointed public diplomacy, meaning open political messaging directed at another government.
Carney's response put the emphasis on the conduct of Canadian officials. He said Canadian diplomats had been careful to avoid even the appearance of election interference, Yahoo News reported.
The dispute follows an earlier breakdown in relations. In October 2025, Trump canceled trade talks with Canada after a Canadian advertisement aired during the World Series, the championship baseball series, the Boston Globe reported.
