Americans Still Like Canada! Yes, Even Republicans

United States president Donald Trump’s harsh words on Canada have not swayed Americans off their appreciation of their friendly neighbour to the north. A new Leger poll of voting-aged Americans shows they still see Canada in a good light, and a clear majority of Americans believe that Canada is negotiating in good faith when it comes to trade between the two countries.

This Leger poll, fielded October 24–26, 2025, measures that an impressive 75 percent of American voters believe that Canada is negotiating in good faith (31 percent are extremely confident and 44 percent are somewhat confident) amid the current trade and tariffs dispute. A measly 6 percent share the opinion of their president on Canada; they believe that Canada is not negotiating in good faith or “seeking a fair outcome for both countries.”

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Perhaps surprisingly, Leger does not observe a dramatic difference between how Democrats and Republicans perceived the conflict. Clear majorities in both camps trust Canada: 90 percent of Democratic voters and 67 percent of Republicans share this view. This is a rare consensus between these rival camps, who have not agreed on much in recent years.

When asked if they believed the United States was also negotiating in good faith, Americans are divided almost evenly: 52 percent trust that the current US administration is negotiating in good faith, and 48 percent have little or no confidence that this is the case. Unsurprisingly, the divide here follows partisan lines: a strong majority of Republicans trust Trump and his team (85 percent), while nearly seven in ten Democrats (68 percent) seriously doubt them.

In short, more Americans believe Canada is negotiating in good faith than their own federal government.

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Although government-to-government relations remain tense as the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) approaches renewal next year, Leger finds that Americans still largely perceive Canada as a trustworthy ally—once again, with little partisan divergence.

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When asked how they would describe Canada in the context of trade and economic relations, 58 percent of respondents view Canada as a “close ally” or “friendly partner,” compared to only 9 percent who see Canada as a hostile neighbour. Just 4 percent consider Canada an “adversary,” contrary to the tone of recent presidential remarks.

Nothing in Leger’s data suggests such hostility exists among American voters. Even when breaking down the results by political affiliation, the differences between Democratic and Republican voters remain surprisingly modest—again, a rarity in a country that is deeply polarized on almost every political and social issue.

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Among Democrats, 67 percent see Canada as an ally or partner, compared to 58 percent of Republicans. More striking, only 16 percent of Republicans—typically aligned with Trump’s world view—believe Canada is hostile to US interests. On this issue, a strong majority of Republican voters clearly diverge from the president’s rhetoric.

Overall, the data points to the same conclusion: Americans, including Trump supporters, do not harbour much animosity toward Canada. And when asked to describe the bilateral relationship “outside of the current trade dispute,” 73 percent call it good or even—as 87 percent of Republican voters did—excellent.

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Most Americans (63 percent) say they do not know Canada’s new prime minister—not surprising after just seven months in office. Yet among those familiar with him, Mark Carney enjoys net-positive ratings across party lines. Among Trump voters, 30 percent view Carney favourably, compared with 13 percent unfavourably—a net plus seventeen, despite 57 percent saying they do not know enough to judge him.

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Among Democrats, 40 percent have a favourable opinion of Carney, versus only 3 percent unfavourable.

Trade disputes between Canada and the United States are nothing new, though they have certainly intensified since Trump returned to the White House last January. Still, a broad majority of Americans—regardless of political affiliation—continue to see Canada as a reliable ally and economic partner. The president’s recent tirades against Ontario’s pro–free trade advertising may stir short-term passions among his base, but there is little evidence that Canadians’ frustration since last winter has been reciprocated. Canada’s image among Americans remains largely intact for now.

This Leger poll was conducted from October 24 to 26, 2025, among a representative sample of n = 1,010 American voters. The poll was commissioned by 338Canada and the French media outlet Maintenant Media. The section of the report on Canada–US relations can be found here.