Canada has a new U.S. ambassador to sort through its strained relations with Washington as the Senate on Wednesday approved President Donald Trump’s nomination of Peter Hoekstra in a 60-37 vote.
His confirmation as U.S. ambassador to Canada comes at one of the most challenging times in Washington’s long relationship with its northern neighbor after Trump launched a series of tariffs targeting Ottawa and repeatedly claimed he believes Canada should become the U.S.’s 51st state.
But despite heightened concerns over Trump’s ambitions for Canada, particularly among Democratic lawmakers, Hoekstra’s Senate confirmation process was a relatively smooth road.
“I do have a special appreciation for Canada as a neighbor,” he told senators at his confirmation hearing last month.
Following questions from Delaware Democrat Sen. Christopher Coons, Hoekstra affirmed that “Canada is a sovereign state.”
However, he declined to comment on the president’s repeated desire to incorporate Canada as the next U.S. state – a proposal Ottawa has consistently rejected.