U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is rapidly constructing out his cupboard, and a few of his most high-profile nominees will change into key figures within the Canada-U.S. relationship if confirmed.
The subsequent secretaries of state, homeland safety and defence will probably be tasked with advancing the Trump administration’s pursuits overseas and would be the ones urgent Canada to align with U.S. stances on international coverage, immigration and navy spending, amongst different points.
A lot of the nominees Trump has introduced up to now are present or former Republican lawmakers in Congress and governors, who’ve been amongst his most staunch defenders. Analysts say that exhibits Trump is prioritizing loyalty and the power to navigate the legislative course of above all else.
“Donald Trump’s selections up to now sign he’s severe about pursuing the insurance policies he campaigned on,” Matthew Lebo, a political science professor at Western College, informed World Information in an e mail.
All of Trump’s nominees will want U.S. Senate affirmation, however a lot of his selections up to now are anticipated to get comparatively straightforward approval with Republicans in stable management of the chamber.
Right here’s a take a look at the faces Canadians could get to know very nicely as soon as the second Trump administration is up and working subsequent yr.
Marco Rubio — Secretary of State
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has been tapped to function Trump’s secretary of state, making him the highest diplomat for the USA.
A distinguished critic of China and Iran, Rubio has been a pacesetter within the Senate on international relations and intelligence points and is seen as a international coverage “hawk” with hardline views.
“There’s most likely nobody within the Senate who actually is aware of international affairs higher than Marco Rubio,” mentioned Christian Leuprecht, a professor at Queen’s College and the Royal Navy School and a senior fellow on the Macdonald-Laurier Institute.
Though beforehand supportive of Ukraine in its battle in opposition to Russia’s invasion, Rubio has extra just lately mentioned Ukraine wants to hunt a negotiated settlement with Moscow and voted in opposition to the newest spherical of U.S. navy and humanitarian help.
Trump and vice-president-elect JD Vance have made related feedback about ending the conflict, which has raised concerns about what Russia could gain in peace talks.
As a senator, Rubio co-sponsored laws handed by Congress final yr that may make it tougher for a president to withdraw from NATO, which now requires approval by a minimum of two-thirds of the U.S. Senate.
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Trump has lengthy railed in opposition to NATO allies that don’t pay their fair proportion on defence — a frequent frustration raised by U.S. officers about Canada — and a few Trump critics, including his former national security adviser John Bolton, worry Trump will attempt to withdraw the U.S. from the alliance.
On the diplomatic entrance, Rubio is predicted to be joined by U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, who Trump nominated to be the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Stefanik has served in Republican management within the U.S. Home of Representatives and is a fierce defender of Trump’s agenda.
Stefanik has additionally led efforts to curb antisemitism within the U.S., significantly within the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israel. Her appointment, in addition to staunch Israel defender Mike Huckabee as U.S. ambassador to Israel, come after each have been vocal of their help for Israel amid the Center East battle.
In July, Rubio and other Republican senators raised concerns about “Gazans with potential terrorist ties to enter the U.S. by way of Canada” after Ottawa eased temporary visa restrictions for Canadian relations fleeing Israel, Gaza and the West Financial institution.
Kristi Noem — Homeland Safety Secretary
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who was re-elected to a second time period in a landslide in 2022, is one in all Trump’s fiercest defenders and has been an outspoken critic of U.S. immigration coverage.
As Homeland Safety secretary, she is going to oversee key border and immigration enforcement businesses comparable to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Her closest counterpart in Canada is Public Security Minister Dominic LeBlanc, and he or she is more likely to be the face of U.S. strain on Canada to extend immigration enforcement measures and scale back entries.
Noem, whose dwelling state is nearer to Canada than Mexico, has made a number of journeys in recent times to the U.S.-Mexico border, which she known as a “warzone” in January. She has deployed dozens of Nationwide Guard troops to help the Republican-led state of Texas with border safety.
In 2022, Noem equated Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resolution to invoke the Emergencies Act to quell the so-called “Freedom Convoy” protests, which concerned freezing organizers’ monetary accounts, with “communist China’s social credit score system.”
Canada is South Dakota’s top export market, and the state sees more than $750 million in agricultural trade alone.
Leuprecht mentioned Noem’s time as governor may imply she sympathizes with the jurisdictional issues of provinces like Quebec and Alberta in relation to immigration and different points, but additionally see the worth of sustaining free commerce with Canada whereas clamping down on the border.
Alongside Noem, Trump’s immigration coverage will even be led by former high ICE official Tom Homan as his administration’s incoming “border czar.” Stephen Miller, the architect of Trump’s first-term immigration agenda, will be part of the brand new administration as White Home deputy chief of workers for coverage and homeland safety adviser.
Lebo mentioned Homan and Miller’s appointments “are indicators Trump is severe about mass deportations,” which experts fear will have implications for Canada’s financial system and border safety.
Pete Hegseth – Protection Secretary
Trump’s selection to steer the Pentagon, Fox Information host Pete Hegseth, is uncommon given Hegseth’s lack of presidency expertise — and will face probably the most tough path to affirmation.
A U.S. Military veteran who served within the Center East, Hegseth has been an outspoken supporter of navy members in addition to a critic of the fashionable navy as an establishment. In 2019, Hegseth efficiently lobbied Trump to pardon U.S. service members who had been accused of conflict crimes, after making the case for them on air at Fox.
In his e-book The Struggle on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Males Who Maintain Us Free, launched earlier this yr, Hegseth rails in opposition to range and inclusion measures within the navy and in recruitment and promotion standards, calling such applications “woke.” Trump has equally criticized “woke” generals and vowed to interchange them as president.
Hegseth’s e-book additionally consists of criticism of NATO, which he calls “outdated, outgunned, invaded, and impotent” and echoes Trump’s repeated pledge to not defend alliance members that don’t meet defence spending commitments.
“Why ought to America, the European ’emergency contact quantity’ for the previous century, hearken to self-righteous and impotent nations asking us to honor outdated and one-sided protection preparations they now not dwell as much as?” Hegseth wrote.
Leuprecht mentioned it might usually be a superb transfer to nominate somebody with out navy expertise as defence secretary, so as to keep away from clashing with profession navy leaders on decision-making.
“The very last thing you want is one other knowledgeable on the high of the division,” he mentioned. “You truly need someone who can usually make sense of the division and determine how the division pertains to different departments, to Congress and to the presidency.”
Trump did faucet a former navy member, Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida, to function his nationwide safety adviser. Waltz, a retired retired Military Inexperienced Beret who did a number of fight excursions as a colonel within the Nationwide Guard, is a hardline critic of China, and has taken discover of stories of China’s alleged interference in Canada’s elections.
In a social media post last year, Waltz known as allegations of Chinese language interference in Canadian elections “a MASSIVE scandal” and steered Beijing needed to maintain the Liberals in energy.
He has additionally been brazenly important of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, cheering on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to win the subsequent election.
