White House eases Canada tariff fight days before midterms as prices worry voters

The Trump administration's combative approach to Canada appears to be softening slightly, just days before the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Inflation driven by tariffs is a primary concern for voters, NBC News reports. ¹

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday that trade talks with Washington have seen a "slight intensification" in recent days. ¹ He said Canada's own negotiating position is unchanged. ²

On tapePBS NewsHour · Oct 24

▶1:02

Who says what

President Donald Trump told reporters over the weekend that a possible deal would be "settled pretty soon." ¹ Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, said on Fox News that the two countries are "very close to finally having a deal." ¹

Carney described it differently. He said any progress is happening because the United States is moving toward Canada's position. ¹² He also said Canada was unwilling to sign what was offered in August because it crossed its "red lines." ¹²

From Channel GOPTrump on the Alaska ballot and the DOJ suitDonald Trump · 219 plays · captioned, with the source named

Carney said that to the extent any progress has been made, it is because the U.S. is coming closer to Canada's position. ¹

NBC reports that neither the American nor the Canadian statements since Hassett's comments appeared to support such a sunny reading. ¹

On tapeWXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7 · Oct 24

▶2:23

What the tariffs look like

Advanced talks collapsed in August. Since then, the administration has put 50% tariffs on hundreds of categories of Canadian imports, and Ottawa has answered with its own. ¹ The Associated Press (AP) describes the 50% tariffs as covering roughly $20 billion in Canadian goods. ²

Late last week the U.S. announced on its own that it would lift some tariffs on Canada and replace them with others. ¹ The AP says Trump would lift some 50% tariffs while putting new tariffs on dozens of other products. It also says exemptions were announced for Canadian goods used by farmers and other businesses. ²

NBC says the change came at the urging of Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who faces a tight re-election fight. ¹ The AP says Collins pressed the administration to ease tariffs on Canadian goods used by farmers and other businesses, with Washington announcing exemptions Friday. ²

Why it matters

Control of the Senate will be decided by a handful of very close races. Several are in states that border Canada, where polls show Trump's tariffs are broadly unpopular. ¹ Alaska and Michigan are among them. ¹

In Alaska, candidates across the political spectrum have called the trade war a drag on consumers. ¹ In Michigan, Republican nominee Mike Rogers has called for an end to it. ¹

That matters because tariffs are taxes paid on imported goods, and businesses often pass them on to shoppers. The pattern is that the pressure to ease them is arriving in the final week of the campaign, not when the 50% tariffs began.

What happens next

Trump told a Detroit TV station a deal could come before the midterms, though it might take months. ² Asked whether Trump would "sign in pen," Carney said, "I don't know that." ² The Commerce Department did not immediately answer NBC's request for comment. ¹

The Record

1. Oct 23, 2026The U.S. announced it would lift some tariffs on Canada and replace them with others, after pressure from Sen. Susan Collins ¹²
2. Oct 25, 2026Trump said a deal with Canada would be "settled pretty soon" ¹²
3. Oct 26, 2026Carney said talks had a "slight intensification" but credited the U.S. moving toward Canada's position ¹²

Sources

1. NBC News, “White House tempers its tough talk on Canada trade as inflation tops voter concerns” (2026-10-27). nbcnews.com/business/economy/canada-trade-tariffs-trump-main
2. AP (via Boston 25 News), “Carney says Trump moving closer to Canada's trade demands as midterms loom” (2026-10-26). boston25news.com/news/world/carney-says-trump/HZ5IVOZO3I6JDA

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