Vulnerable GOP senator sounds alarm on Trump’s escalating trade war with Canada

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) is sounding the alarm on President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada.

Trump has escalated a trade war with Canada in recent weeks after negotiations between the two countries fell apart last month. On Tuesday, Canada imposed tariffs on $20 billion in American goods, including steel, aluminum, cheese, appliances, clothing, cosmetics and farm equipment.

Later on Tuesday, the U.S. announced it would be imposing outright bans on some Canadian products, including alcohol, dairy products and motorcycles, on Sept. 29. This comes after several Canadian provinces already banned or restricted sales of U.S. alcohol.

The trade war will likely result in repercussions for both U.S. and Canadian consumers. Collins, who is facing a tough reelection bid in Maine, warned that the trade war is significantly impacting her home state.

She told Politico that she spoke with Vice President JD Vance and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer about concerns she had about the trade war.

“I think the administration has very much underestimated the impact on Maine families, on small manufacturers, on our agricultural products,” Collins told Politico over the weekend.

“And that’s what I’m trying my best to educate them about. They look at this issue as a macro issue. And in fact, the micro impact on a state like Maine is considerable.”

She has been a vocal critic of tariffs on Maine, which borders Canada. She said in a social media post on Tuesday that she was pleased that the U.S. would exempt road salt and cement from the tariffs, but still expressed concern over the trade war.

“These additional exemptions follow Canada’s announcement that it will carve out American seafood and fish products from its retaliatory tariff list, which would have caused significant harm to Maine’s lobstermen,” she said on X.

“However, significant tariffs – including those on forest products – remain in effect and will lead to higher costs for Maine families and uncertainty for businesses. I urge the Administration to continue to work to deescalate this conflict and reach a trade resolution with our Canadian partners,” she added.

Collins has had a rocky relationship with Trump in recent years after she voted to convict him during his second impeachment trial. She also said in a separate interview with Politico that she wants Trump to reevaluate his vendetta against Canada.

“I would remind him that Canada is our friend, our closest ally, and our biggest trading partner. This is not China that we’re talking about,” she said.

“This is an adversarial country, and that our economies are so linked that if you try to hurt one, you end up hurting me and other border states,” she added.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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