Hoekstra fought tariffs in Congress. He's changed his tune as Trump's Canadian ambassador

As Trump's Canadian ambassador, Pete Hoekstra has taken a starkly different stance on tariffs compared to his former self in Congress. Once an outspoken critic of tariffs, now he actively defends the administration's approach to trade.

During his time as congressman, Hoekstra testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in 2003 that "the market should dictate the price of steel, not the government." He warned that tariffs would drive up costs for furniture-makers and other manufacturers, leading to higher prices, longer lead times, and lost jobs. Now, as ambassador, he's a top defender of Trump's trade policies.

Hoekstra's shift in stance has been mirrored by other Michigan Republican leaders on trade. His social media posts as ambassador applaud Trump's efforts to achieve "balanced and reciprocal trade relationships." However, his tone has also become more critical of "anti-American" attitudes in Canada.

In October, after an Ontario ad aired during the World Series that criticized free trade policies, Hoekstra reportedly chastised the province's trade representative with an expletive-laced tirade. He later said that Trump did not slam the door shut on a new trade deal with Canada, but rather Canada did so itself.

Hoekstra's stance has been met with skepticism from many Canadians and Canadian politicians. The ad campaign featuring Ronald Reagan's words to champion free trade was widely seen as a clever move by Ontario Premier Doug Ford to push back against Trump's trade policies.

The U.S. ambassador to Canada, Colin Bird, told ProPublica that companies on both sides of the border are in "wait-and-see" mode or are pulling back on investment due to tariffs. Hoekstra's comments have been seen as an attempt to rally support for Trump's trade agenda, but his critics argue that it only serves to exacerbate tensions between the two countries.

Michigan Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga has also shifted his stance on tariffs after initially opposing them in 2018. He now supports Trump's tariffs and believes they will ultimately benefit American workers and manufacturers.

However, not everyone is supportive of the tariffs. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has expressed concerns that Trump's trade policies have led to higher grocery prices and housing costs due to tariffs on essential components.

As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is clear: Hoekstra's shift in stance on tariffs reflects a changing reality in Michigan and Canada. The state of Michigan is deeply integrated with Canada, and companies like Howard Miller are struggling to adapt to the new trade landscape.

This guy Pete Hoekstra is really interesting . I mean, he's basically saying that Trump's trade policies are all good and will help American workers and manufacturers. But let's be real, there's a lot of evidence suggesting otherwise . Like, have you seen the ad campaign in Canada with Ronald Reagan's words? That was some sneaky stuff . And now Hoekstra is basically saying that Canada did itself by slamming the door shut on a new trade deal... yeah right .

And I'm not buying that companies are just in "wait-and-see" mode or pulling back on investment due to tariffs . I mean, we've all seen how tariffs affect prices and lead times before. It's like, basic economics .

Michigan is a big deal for Canada, and it's weird that Hoekstra is so quick to defend Trump's policies without considering the impact on his own state . And what about the governor, Gretchen Whitmer? She's got some valid concerns about higher grocery prices and housing costs due to tariffs .

I guess what I'm saying is... I don't think Hoekstra's shift in stance on tariffs is as simple as it seems . There are a lot of complexities at play here, and we need more than just one guy's opinion to figure things out .

omg i cant believe pete hoekstra changed his mind so much about tariffs he went from "market should dictate price" to defending trumps trade policies lol what happened?

i think its kinda weird that he started being super critical of canada too, like isnt that kinda the opposite of what he used to say? i mean idk about all this trade stuff but it seems like hoekstra is just trying to sound cool in front of trump now and its not helping at all.

i feel bad for the canadian ppl tho, they must be getting so frustrated with us right now especially with that ad campaign featuring ronald reagan's words, that was pretty clever michigan is super connected to canada, it feels like hoekstra is just hurting his own state's business i hope they can get some good trade deals going on again

I'm not surprised by Pete Hoekstra's change of heart . Politics and public office can change you, I guess. As a retiree, I've seen many folks come and go, and it seems like sometimes they get caught up in the moment and want to fit in . What's concerning me is that this shift in stance might just be a PR move to appease Trump's base . It's also interesting to see how Michigan politics are reflecting the national conversation on trade . As someone who's been around for a while, I've learned that change takes time and it's often driven by complex factors . One thing is certain though - the impact of these tariffs on everyday folks like me and my friends will be felt for years to come .

I don't get why everyone's freaking out about this dude Hoekstra. He used to trash tariffs and now he's all for 'em? Like, what's his game? Is Trump's ego more important than making sense? And those "anti-American" attitudes in Canada? Give me a break, it's just a bunch of politicking. The real issue is how this whole thing's affecting the everyday people. Have you seen the prices on furniture lately? It's like they're taking advantage of us or something. I mean, I'm not saying Hoekstra's wrong, but come on, let's not spin this as some kind of hero story for Trump. What about his Canadian counterpart Colin Bird? He's just trying to do his job and now he gets roasted. It's all so... dramatic

so what's up with Pete Hoekstra now? like he was all about no tariffs as congressman but now he's Trump's biggest fan lol. it's weird how politics can change so fast. i'm not sure if i should be surprised or annoyed that he's now trash talking Canadians on social media... meanwhile, Michigan is getting hit hard with these tariffs and companies are struggling to adapt

I'm seeing some major hypocrisy from Pete Hoekstra . Guy used to be all about free markets and now he's defending tariffs . It's crazy how quickly politicians can change their tune, especially when it comes to something as divisive as trade. And Michigan is getting hit hard by these tariffs - Howard Miller, a major furniture-maker, is struggling to stay afloat . I'm not surprised that Gretchen Whitmer is speaking out against Trump's trade policies, though. It's about time someone with a pulse in the Governor's office started making sense . And what's up with Hoekstra's personal attacks on Canadian politicians? Classy move, Ambassador .

So I'm wondering what changed Pete Hoekstra's mind about tariffs? Like, he was totally against them back when he was Congress, but now he's all for Trump's policies . And it's not just him, other Michigan Republicans have shifted their stance too. It's kinda weird that he went from being a critic to an advocate in like 2 seconds .

I'm also curious about this ad campaign in Ontario that criticized free trade policies. Wasn't that just a clever way for Doug Ford to push back against Trump? And what's with Hoekstra's expletive-laced tirade? Did he really say something like that to the Canadian trade rep?

It seems like companies on both sides of the border are in a bit of a wait-and-see mode, which isn't great for business. Can we just get some clarity on what's going on with these tariffs already?

This is wild. Like I get it, Trump wants to defend his policies but Pete Hoekstra's gone from being anti-tariff to pro-tariff? It's a major 180 . He used to be all about the market deciding prices, now he's downplaying the negative effects of tariffs and basically blaming Canada for not getting along with the US .

And Michigan is like totally caught in the middle here . They've got companies that rely on trade with Canada, but at the same time they're also feeling the effects of the tariffs . I'm not surprised that Gretchen Whitmer is speaking out about this - she's gotta be worried about her constituents' jobs and bills .

It's interesting to see how Hoekstra's changed his tune, though . Some people might say it's just a pragmatic move to get along with the administration , but others are gonna call him out for playing both sides . Either way, this is a major development in US-Canada trade relations .