President-elect Donald Trump has appointed former Michigan congressman Pete Hoekstra as ambassador to Canada.
Mr. Hoekstra served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2011. He also previously served as ambassador to the Netherlands during former President Trump’s first administration.
“In his second term, Pete will help us once again put America First,” President Trump said in a statement announcing his nomination.
“I am confident he will continue to represent our country in this new role.”
In his own statement posted on social media site X, Hoekstra said he was “honored by this opportunity.”
Previous Canadian ambassadors under President Donald Trump and former President Barack Obama were primarily fundraisers and organizers for their respective political parties. Previously, presidents typically chose candidates with political experience for the role.
Mr. Hoekstra appears to have both, having served as the head of the Michigan Republican Party for much of the past year.
Hoekstra was one of Trump’s first nominees for ambassadorship. The president-elect also named candidates for ambassadors to the United Nations, NATO, and Israel.
Bruce Heyman, who served as President Obama’s special envoy to Canada from 2014 to 2017, said in a post on “It gives us first-hand knowledge and information,” he said. Understanding Canada. ”
Initial reactions to President Trump’s appointment of 🇨🇦Canada’s new US ambassador. (Best job in the US government)
1- Experienced Ambassador
2- Clearly knows and trusts Trump
Experienced in parliament 3 times.
4- Clearly an insider, Canada will need to straighten this guy out…
”[This] “This should be good news for the Canada-U.S. relationship because it means we have someone we can work with to deal with the changes that are coming,” Heyman said.
During his time in the House of Representatives, Mr. Hoekstra served as Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. If it is decided that he will appear on the show, he will come to the capital of this country, which is currently in a state of flux. Questions about foreign interference.
The day after taking back the White House, Trump spoke with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and “trade and security issues” were among the topics discussed, according to the phone call.
The 10-minute meeting mainly focused on trade, according to a person familiar with the meeting.
According to the person, President Trump asked the prime minister about the tariffs Canada is imposing on Chinese-made electric vehicles, steel and aluminum. The two men also discussed other China trade issues, with Trump raising concerns about Chinese-made fentanyl in the U.S. market.
President Trump touts trade deal with announcement
In a statement announcing Hoekstra’s nomination, Trump touted the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) negotiations, which were negotiated during Trump’s first term.
Trump’s former ambassador to Canada, Kelly Craft, previously told Radio-Canada that Trump intends to make changes to the trade deal, which is scheduled for review in 2026.
Mr. Craft also suggested that President Trump is likely to pressure Canada to develop a faster timeline to meet NATO defense spending commitments. Prime Minister Trudeau has vowed to spend 2% of gross domestic product (GDP) on the military by 2032, but Craft suggested that may not be fast enough for President Trump.
Hoekstra will need confirmation from the U.S. Senate before assuming the role of ambassador, a process likely to occur in early 2025.
The current U.S. Ambassador to Canada, David Cohen, has been in the role since 2021.
