Republican Senator Mike Rogers has released a new advertisement advocating for an end to the ongoing tariff dispute with Canada. In the ad, Rogers is seen enjoying a Canadian beer and stating, "Here in Michigan, we know that Canada is not our enemy. We need to end this tariff war now." He also pledges to unite Democrats and Republicans in the Senate to prioritize Michigan families.
However, the ad has drawn criticism on social media for its omission of former President Donald Trump, who initiated the tariffs. Critics have pointed out that Rogers himself previously supported these tariffs. One social media user noted, "Mike Rogers has supported Trump's reckless tariffs from the start... and defended his trade war with Canada JUST LAST MONTH by saying 'the Canadians have not been good partners.'"
Another critic directly addressed Rogers' shift, writing, "Must have had one too many of those LaBatts, Mike. You cheerled this tariff war from the beginning and you’re flip-flopping now because your poll numbers are in free fall. Donald is the reason we’re in a trade war."
When questioned about Rogers' stance, Trump reportedly told reporters that he saw it as Rogers "wanted Canada to make a deal." Earlier, Trump had stated that "Canada behaves very badly with the United States," and claimed to have discovered tariffs "nobody knew about — except me."
This apparent shift in position by Rogers mirrors other Republican politicians who have recently altered their messaging. For instance, Iowa Senate candidate Ashley Hinson released an ad calling for an end to the war in Iran, despite having previously voted against resolutions to end it multiple times.