Canadians Rapidly Souring On The US, Trump
67% of Canadians have negative sentiments towards Trump, with another 63% saying they view the United States negatively
Negative Sentiment Towards America Grows
Canada-US relations have entered a new period of uncertainty following the inauguration of US President, Donald Trump. Between Trump’s economic threats of tariffs on Canadian goods, as well as his less than subtle threats of annexation, Canadians have begun to sour on our southern neighbours.
Over the past seven months, Pollara has asked Canadians how they feel about the United States. In June, about 53% of Canadians said they had a positive view of the Americans, while 40% said their view was negative.
One month after Trump won the 2024 presidential election, Canadians quickly began to sour on the Americans. Positive opinions towards the United States dropped 20-points to 33% in December, while those with a negative opinion rose 19-points to 59%. Negative sentiment would rise further in January 2025, with 63% of Canadians having a negative view of the United States, while only 30% held a positive view.
The rise in negative sentiment towards the United States is almost certainly linked to Donald Trump, as polling from Pollara finds most Canadians are angry or frustrated with Trump (67%).
Canadians aged 65 and older are most likely to say they feel angry towards Trump (70%), as well as NDP and Liberal voters (77% each). Anger towards Trump decreases with age, but even among 18-34 year olds, 40% say they feel angry towards him, with another 20% saying they feel frustrated.
Even Conservative voters have a net-negative view of Trump, with 48% saying he angers or frustrates them, compared to 43% who say they feel comfortable or excited with the new US President.
It’s fair to say part of the frustration with Trump among Canadians stem from his recent comments. Trump’s recent streak of suggesting Canada will become America’s 51st state has left Canadians wondering whether he’s serious about such a threat.