The U.S. Justice Department's antitrust division was reportedly directed to pause all work with the Canadian government as the trade dispute between the neighboring nations intensifies. Officials were ordered earlier this week to halt all cooperation on cases and engagement on policy issues with Canadian authorities, according to a report citing emails obtained by The Wall Street Journal. Section chiefs in the antitrust division were also instructed to provide lists outlining areas of cooperation with Canada.
The Justice Department disputed the report, stating that the "alleged direction was never given to anyone." The department clarified that the division was asked to "temporarily hold off on a scheduled meeting on a specific investigation until the DOJ's antitrust team had more time to prepare."
This reported directive comes amid ongoing trade disputes between the U.S. and Canada. These tensions have escalated following President Donald Trump's executive order to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America." While the renaming primarily impacts U.S. federal government entities, it adds to the broader friction between the two countries, which began following Trump's return to the White House in January 2025. The trade war has led to tariffs on billions of dollars in cross-border commerce.
In response to the U.S. administration's new tariffs on Canadian goods, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada would impose retaliatory tariffs, matching the U.S. measures dollar for dollar to protect Canadian workers, farmers, families, and businesses. These retaliatory tariffs were set to begin on September 8.