Senator blames Trump administration’s ‘insulting’ rhetoric for tourism slump

WASHINGTON — A Democrat from New Hampshire has blamed the Trump administration’s “insulting” rhetoric for the collapse of Canadian tourism in her state.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen on Wednesday said New Hampshire saw a 30 per cent drop in Canadian tourism “largely due to the loss of trust and goodwill because of this administration’s rhetoric around Canada.”

At a Senate hearing, Shaheen asked Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick about his recent comments on Canada’s trade strategy. During a discussion with Semafor World Economy in Washington, D.C., on Friday, Lutnick attacked Canada’s approach to trade talks with the words, “They suck.”

“How does insulting our closest ally and neighbour help the businesses in my state of New Hampshire, and states all across this country who are hurting because of the loss of Canadian business and tourism?” Shaheen said.

Lutnick replied that Canada leans on the U.S. economy and claimed it’s “outrageous” for Canadian provinces to keep American liquor off their shelves. He also complained about Canada’s dairy supply management system.

Shaheen said Canadians are reacting to comments by Lutnick and President Donald Trump.

“We are not going to get agreement when we keep insulting people,” she said. “When we have allies and partners we should try and work with them, not insult them.”

The relationship between Canada and the United States has been rattled by Trump’s tariffs and comments. The president has repeatedly claimed that Canada should become a U.S. state and has called the prime minister a “governor.”

Trump has said the United States doesn’t need anything from Canada, misrepresented the Canadian dairy industry and suggested he could pull out of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, better known as CUSMA, that was negotiated during his first term.

The continental trade pact is up for a mandatory review this year.

Lutnick and other members of the administration have parroted many of Trump’s talking points about trade and annexation. At the Semafor event, Lutnick said Trump thinks CUSMA is a bad deal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2026.

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press