As U.S. President Donald Trump imposes his long-held view of trade (every trade must have a winner and a loser) by launching a tariff war against much of the world, American attitudes are shifting away from, rather than toward, the U.S. President’s position.
According to a survey from the Polarization Lab first published by the Financial Times, the number of Americans who strongly approve of free trade has risen from under 20% before Trump’s victory in the 2024 election to nearly 30% now. The number of American liberals who support free trade has risen from below 25% to over 40% in that time, while moderate support has risen from about 17% to 26%. This is partly a result of political polarization, but also reflects growing opposition to Trump’s tariff policy. A recent ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos Poll found 64% of Americans disapproved of Trump’s handling of tariffs, 71% thought the tariffs would raise inflation, and 56% thought the impact on U.S. economic leadership would be negative. Only on manufacturing job creation did voters give the tariffs positive marks (59%-39%), and this will likely tick downward as tariff-related damage accumulates throughout supply chains.
This represents a strategic opportunity for Canada. Not only is the United States increasingly isolated on the world stage – nearly every country is a tariff target – the U.S. is divided on the issue of tariffs, while Canadians are largely united in our opposition to U.S. trade actions. This gives Canadian leaders, regardless of who wins the election, a level of backing from the population that Trump lacks. That backing, combined with close coordination with other trading partners, can shift the balance of influence in Canada’s favour despite our smaller overall economic size relative to the U.S.
Spencer Fernando
Image – YouTube
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