House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain has defended President Trump's trade policies regarding Canada, asserting that the northern neighbor has engaged in unfair trade practices detrimental to the United States. McClain, whose home state of Michigan borders Canada, accused Ottawa of facilitating the circumvention of U.S. tariffs and harming American agricultural producers.

"Canada is our neighbor. We don't want to be in a trade war with Canada, but what we want is fair trade," McClain told The Post. She pointed to a significant trade deficit and what she described as Canada's long-standing high tariffs on American dairy and cream products, stating that Trump's actions aim to "level the playing field."

Canada recently imposed retaliatory tariffs on approximately $20 billion worth of U.S. imports, two weeks after the Trump administration implemented its own duties following failed negotiations. McClain expressed optimism that a fair trade deal will be reached despite the ongoing trade dispute, dismissing concerns about its potential impact on upcoming elections in Michigan.

Michigan Senate Race

In addition to trade issues, McClain voiced strong support for Republican Mike Rogers in his bid to unseat Dr. Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan's U.S. Senate race. She characterized El-Sayed as out of touch with Michiganders, referencing his past statements and policy positions. McClain specifically cited El-Sayed's remarks following an attack on a Michigan synagogue, where he noted the perpetrator's family was killed in Israeli strikes, leading to El-Sayed's apology for the "hurt people, hurt people" comment. "What El Sayed wants to give you [is he] wants to defund the police, defund ICE," McClain stated, also bringing up El-Sayed's views on transgender surgeries and men participating in women's sports.

McClain also recalled El-Sayed's past comments suggesting a need to "defund the police insofar as defunding the police is disinvesting in the means of incarcerating someone or killing them on the streets," though he later stated he never called for defunding the police. El-Sayed's campaign has also advocated for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

According to RealClearPolitics polling aggregates, El-Sayed holds a narrow lead over Rogers in the competitive Senate contest.