Trump says Rogers means Canada should make a deal
Donald TrumpPresident of the United States
Asked about Rogers's ad, Trump says he took it to mean that Canada should make a deal and repeats that Canada has been taking advantage of the United States for years.
Responding to
Prices are too high, and the United States should end its tariff war with Canada now.
“Canada has been ripping off our country for many, many years.”
Reporting
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Mike Rogers calls for an end to the Canada tariff war; El-Sayed calls it a flip-flop
Michigan Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers released an ad on October 7, 2026, saying Canada is not the enemy and calling for an end to the tariff war with Canada. His Democratic opponent, Abdul El-Sayed, said Rogers had cheered the tariff war from the start and was changing course because of his poll numbers. Asked about the ad, President Trump said he took Rogers to mean that Canada should make a deal, and repeated his view that Canada has taken advantage of the United States for years.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Newsweek report on Rogers's ad. It quotes Trump's Oval Office remarks, El-Sayed's statement and a September Rogers campaign statement on tariffs, and says a White House official referred questions to the president's remarks. Newsweek says an AI assistant was used to produce the story.
Reporting
About this source
Canadian Press report on Rogers's October 7 ad. It quotes the ad, El-Sayed's response and Trump's comments at the White House later that day, and describes the escalation of U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods since August.
Before the quotation
Reporters in the Oval Office asked Trump about Rogers's ad calling for an end to the tariff war. Trump said, "I viewed him as saying that he thinks Canada should make a deal".
After the quotation
The Canadian Press reported that Trump said Canada wants to make a deal but his administration is not satisfied. A White House official referred Newsweek to the president's remarks.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is the U.S. tariff war with Canada. Trump recasts Rogers's call as a demand on Canada and says Canada has been "ripping off our country", so we labeled it Defended or excused, meaning he stands by the trade fight. The closest competing label is Challenged the characterization, because he reinterprets the ad; it loses because he goes on to justify the dispute itself.
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- People and groups discussed
- Mike Rogers
More from this case
Read the full caseEl-Sayed calls Trump's Canada tariffs chaotic at the Michigan Senate debate
“This is, like everything, ham-fisted, chaotic, self-serving, that Donald Trump does.”Read statement
El-Sayed says Rogers cheered the tariff war from the beginning
“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. And he's the reason you're running. Not a serious person.”Read statement
Rogers says Canada is not the enemy and the tariff war should end now
“Prices are too high and Canada is not our enemy. We need to end the tariff war — now.”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Trump says Rogers means Canada should make a deal". First published: 2026-10-17. Last updated: 2026-10-17. https://disputeindex.com/events/5995-asked-about-rogers-s-ad-trump-says-he