PORTLAND, Maine \u2013 President Donald Trump\u2019s trade war with Canada is escalating as the midterm elections approach, threatening Republican efforts to address voters’ economic concerns in a year when control of the U.S. Senate hinges on states along the border between the United States and its northern neighbor. <\/p>\n
The dispute<\/a> flared over the weekend after negotiations broke down, leading Trump to raise tariffs on $20 billion in Canadian imports. Canada plans to announce tariffs of its own<\/a> on Tuesday, and the spiraling conflict could lead to higher prices and scrambled supply chains for Americans already aggravated<\/a> at the president\u2019s management of the economy. <\/p>\n Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, one of Democrats’ top targets this year, warned that fallout from Trump’s approach would hurt U.S. businesses and consumers.<\/p>\n \u201cImposing new tariffs on Canada is a mistake,\u201d Collins said while campaigning Monday, and she mentioned lobsters, blueberries, lumber and other Maine products that end up in Canadian markets.<\/p>\n The issue also puts pressure on Republicans in Michigan, Ohio and Alaska, states where Canada is an important trading partner. Many Democrats seem eager to capitalize on the matter as they try to regain the Senate majority, despite the party’s own history with protectionist sentiments. <\/p>\n \u201cTrump is escalating a trade war with Canada for his own vanity,\u201d Michigan’s Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed said on social media, adding that his Republican opponent, former Rep. Mike Rogers, is a \u201crubber stamp\u201d for such policies. A third of the state’s exports go north of the border.<\/p>\n Marc Short, a top adviser to then-Vice President Mike Pence during the first Trump presidency, said the issue is a political trap for Republicans. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hard, obviously, because you don\u2019t want to incur the wrath of the president,” he said. \u201cBut at the same time, I think if you\u2019re representing agricultural states, especially, your voters are probably anxious to have somebody representing their interests in Washington right now.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump charges forward on tariffs<\/p>\n It’s possible that Trump will change course or delay his plans. But for now, the president is making no apologies for the economic turmoil.<\/p>\n \u201cCanada has been ripping off the United States for years,\u201d Trump blasted on his Truth Social platform Monday, adding that he will raise tariffs on all Canadian automobiles and auto parts and steel to 50% in 2027. He added, \u201cWE DON\u2019T NEED CANADA, THEY NEED US!\u201d<\/p>\n Trump’s top trade official more calmly downplayed the dispute. \u201cThis is something where we don\u2019t actually expect a huge impact,\u201d U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told reporters outside the West Wing. <\/p>\n Vice President JD Vance visited Maine on Monday, where he praised \u201cour very independent friend Susan Collins\u201d and assured voters \u201cwe\u2019re very mindful of the fact that Maine is a border state with Canada.\u201d He said the administration is trying to make sure Maine \u201cgets a fair deal.\u201d<\/p>\n Collins did not appear with Vance on Monday or during his last trip to Maine. She campaigned on her own as she tries to hold off a challenge from Democratic nominee Troy Jackson, a former state legislative leader. <\/p>\n Jackson, a logger before going into politics, said tariffs are another example of how Collins does not do enough to stand up to the president. <\/p>\n \u201cTroy spent most of his life working along the Canadian border, so he knows how important this relationship is to Maine\u2019s economy,\u201d Jackson spokesman Dan Gottlieb said.<\/p>\n Republicans are trying to defend Senate control<\/p>\n