The Democratic senator said he grilled candidates for Canadian and Mexican presidential candidates to the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee, which heard the administration's new trade policy on Thursday, affecting US relations with allies.
Noting that her hometown state in New Hampshire has the highest percentage of Canadian-Americans than any other state in the United States, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (DN.H.) said Trump's statement made Canadians view the United States negatively.
“I think it's very troublesome to see the anthems of the world's longest-standing, vulnerable border-wide countries that have built such positive relationships over the years, being booed.
Shaheen, who announced earlier this week that he would not seek another term in the Senate, said Canadians were “offensive” finding Trump talking about Canada as the 51st US state.
She then asked Hoekstra how he would turn around the “negative relationships he developed” and address tariff issues between the US and Canada.
Hoekstra replied that he had experienced similar things when he went to the Netherlands, where he served as an envoy from 2018 to 2021.
“There was a lot of hostility and concerns. [in the Netherlands] For some of the Trump administration's objectives, it was really about fairness, and it made the Dutch pay for NATO. We will work with the Netherlands to stand up to Russia,” he said. “But we made it work.”
He described the experience as “priorities outlined by the president: it can actually grow Canadian-US business relations to apply to more free and fair trade.”
Withdrawal of Hoekstra, Shaheen said, “Is it not true that Canada has the lowest tariff regime than any other country in the world that Canada's tariffs are not unusually limited, except for dairy products?”
She added that Small and Medium Businesses in New Hampshire told her that 80% of orders they received from Canada have been cancelled and they don't know if the business will continue.
“How does this trade war support the economy here, and the indicators the president has, say we are going to stop the trade war when Canada and the US arrive at this agreement?” she asked.
The candidate replied that free and fair dealing is one of the administration's priorities, but he would like to work with Canada on the issue of fentanyl.
Challenge him again, Shaheen pointed out that less than 1% of that fentanyl comes from Canada.
“They blocked more drugs from the US than we intervened from Canada,” she said, “Please be honest about what's going on here.”
Later in the hearing, Hoekstra was asked about Trump's 51st state mention to Canada.
“Do you agree that Canada is a sovereign nation and should not be called province 51?” Sen. Chris Coons (d-del.) asked the candidate.
“Canada is a sovereign nation,” replied Hoekstra.
Coons then mentioned Canada's new prime minister. He provided an opportunity to reset relations in his view, adding that Mexico, Japan and Canada are key US allies.
“Part of rhetoric [from the administration] It has destabilized our relationship,” Koons added.
The Trump candidate for Mexico's ambassador, Ronald Johnson, also burned down the administration's policies regarding migration.
“Thousands of people have left their homes due to political violence, crime and gang violence, instability from drug trafficking and lack of economic opportunities. Did they attack you as part of the real factors of immigration?” Coons asked the candidate.
“Yes, certainly, Senators. They do,” Johnson replied.
Coons asked if Johnson agreed that cooperation should be between the US and Mexico to combat such cases of violence and human trafficking.
When Johnson responded in the affirmation, the senator said he was worried about the impact of the review of foreign aid, saying that he “stops young people from partnering with traffickers and shut down important programs they worked to stop drug smuggling.”
“Do you swear to work with us to find programs that are effective and have actually supported our partnership with the Mexican government and have helped prevent the flow of immigration to the southern border,” he said.
Johnson said he will work with the senators to resolve the issue.
In response to another question about Mexican behavior towards drug cartels, Jorson did not dismiss the possibility of unilateral military action by the US in Mexico if American citizens were threatened.
“Our first wish is that it will be done in collaboration with our Mexican partners,” Johnson said, but added, “If the lives of American citizens are at risk, I think all the cards are on the table.”
