While the trade war between Canada and the United States escalated this week, it’s not hitting the radar of many of the party faithful who gathered in Dallas for a Republican convention Wednesday.
“I don’t really think about that from our perspective” said Brian Becker as he walked through the American Airlines Center where thousands were gathering Wednesday.
The unusual convention, billed as “Trump-a-Palooza,” is meant to be both a fundraiser and a means to build momentum behind Republicans ahead of the November midterm elections — at a time when President Donald Trump faces very low approval ratings.
Attendees spoke excitedly about seeing Trump, who is set to headline the event Wednesday, and about their concerns over election integrity and affordability.
But many said they aren’t worried about the relationship with Canada, even as polling shows that Trump’s tariffs and his move to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” are widely unpopular.
Becker, president of the Irving Professional Firefighters Association, said he wanted to show his support for what the Trump administration has done for firefighters.
Becker credits the administration with boosting a benefit program to help firefighters with job-related cancer and getting rid of regulations that affected their social security.
“My focus and my goals is improving the lives of firefighters,” he said when asked about the trade war. “I don’t really know about all that stuff, to be honest.”
The relationship between Canada and the United States was upended by Trump’s return to the White House. Suddenly, Canada found itself the target of tariffs and threats of annexation from a president who sees it less as a close ally and more as an adversary.
While Canadians have been laser-focused on the upheaval, many Americans have been oblivious to the downturn in the relationship.
While more Americans may have become aware of the rift after trade talks between Ottawa and Washington broke down last month — causing Trump’s trade war and rhetoric toward Canada to rapidly escalate — it’s not a concern broadly shared by those at the convention.
Ken Moore said the trade war is just an “interfamily spat.”
“Canada and the United States are going to be friends for a long time,” the Texan said. “We’ll get past this.”
He said few of his family and friends talk about the bilateral relationship with America’s neighbour to the north and “most people probably don’t even know about the tariff war with Canada.”
Republicans from northern border states are anxious about how trade tensions and tariffs will affect their vulnerable seats in the midterms.
Many political observers have been predicting for some time the House will flip to the Democrats. Trump’s targeting of Canada could also put the Senate in play. Republicans are worries about retaining seats in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Michigan and Ohio — states that rely on trade with Canada.
Many Republican party members, including those facing tight races, have said they are skipping the two-day convention, some citing conflicting obligations.
Michigan Senate nominee Mike Rogers is scheduled to make an appearance. He is running a high-profile race against Abdul El-Sayed, a Democrat who has explicitly made Canada a key election issue.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2026.
— With files from The Associated Press
By Kelly Geraldine Malone | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.